GAMASUTRA: Katamari Damacy creator Critical Of Nintendo Revolution

[3dsMaxSux]

he is just jelous he never thought of it first. run for the hills.

[Unled]

Quote:

"...

Takahashi commented of the Revolution, which has drawn widespread praise (http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=8727) for its underlying concepts from other Eastern and Western designers: "I'm not really interested in it. I don't think a controller should have that much influence on the enjoyment of games."
"

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=8952

-R

That's not very forward thinking of him. Of course the controller has influence on the enjoyment of games.
Several controller breakthroughs like shoulder buttons, rumble paks and analog tech has made gaming controllers a lot more interactive then before. And Games have evolved, hell Takahashi's own lousy game wouldn't be possible if controllers hadn't developed dual analog joysticks.
Imagine playing Katamari with a NES controller, i think it'd definately hamper the gameplay.

[Njen]

Takahashi's own lousy game wouldn't be possible if controllers hadn't developed dual analog joysticks.
Imagine playing Katamari with a NES controller, i think it'd definately hamper the gameplay.

My thoughts exactly. Takahashi is being a bit of a hypocrite here. Anyway, the Revolution controller can do all the standard things as a normal controller can, plus the extra wave-it-around-like-a-sword feature too! The Revolution will be a...revolution!

[bluemagicuk]

I think I would have been just as happy with Tekken 1 without shoulder buttons ... but that argument aside I reckon it's all about the overall experience. No point concentrating on this whole snazzy controller thing and thinking that, it is the be all and end all of nintendo's next gen machine.
It is getting boring real fast.

[zzacmann]

I would think that he would be excited about the Nintendo Rev Controller. Ive only played a demo of Katamari Damacy, never the actual game, so I dont know the intricacies of the gameplay, if there are any, but I think it would be kind of cool, albeit eventually pain inducing, to actually roll the Rev controller in the air in the direction that you wanted to go. They could even make a foam ball with a slot cut in it and sell it as a Katamari Damacy adapter. Just insert your Rev controller and roll the ball around on the floor to control the ball of junk you're creating on screen. Maybe he's just biased due to his game only coming out on a Sony console.

[EpShot]

funny, one of the first thigns i thought of when the revolution was announced, was how much fun katamari would be with the new controller.

but i also wan ta next gen katamari, thats photo eral and has rag doll and advanced destruction physics =D

[P_T]

"I'm not really interested in it. I don't think a controller should have that much influence on the enjoyment of games."


アホかてめーｴ!!

If everyone thinks like him, we'd still be using the old NES controller or even the Atari stick with one huge red button. He probably got burnt by Nintendo sometime in the past.

[pogonip]

I think DUCK HUNT would have been pretty stupid using a standerd controller . Or the sniper games in the arcades would not have been as fun with a standerd joy stick . There are lots of ways this controller could be very fun to use . I think there is a huge oppertunity for games about fishing which casual gamers love and other things like that.

Mayb he is just saying the system would have been better to have a standerd controller like the other consols and have the wand thing as a add-on . I personally think it's not very smart finacially on there part to make a controller which requires developers to create seperate titles for just one system . If the first games arn't fun and don't appeal to the hardcore gamers nobody will buy this system ...they are taking a huge risk here .

[Neil]

why does everyone have tunnel vision. There is going to be a normal controller too, jeesh.
Talk about the games and hardware, and less about the controller.

[Bonedaddy]

アホかてめーｴ!!


おい！何と言いたの？！


There is some validity in his statements, I think. Focusing too much on one style of gameplay is limiting to him as a game designer. I mean, if all anyone could play on the PS2 was DDR, I don't think as many people would buy it. I read it as him thinking they're overfocusing on the motion sensor controller.

That said, I will be very sad to not see Takahashi-san working on the Revolution. Although, from the sounds of it, he may not be making video games at all for much longer.

[secretasianman]

well they have said when the site for the last katamari went down that that might have been the last katamari that he will do.

kinda hope not but....

[P_T]

おい！何と言いたの？！


俺はかれがアホだと思う。使った事ないかも。

He just closed his mind to the controller by saying "not interested". It's true the motion sensor is the main selling point of the controller but if Revo has backward compatibility with GC I don't see why he can't make a game using normal control for the console.

[DevilHacker]

Talk about the games and hardware, and less about the controller.The lack of hardware recognition is probably because of how under-powered it is. (About as powerful an Original Xbox)

…just an guess…

[HappyCookie]

(About as powerful an Original Xbox)

Off subject, but could you tell me why my 2.0Ghz Centrino has better performance than my P4 3.0Ghz ? I mean, according to your way of thinking, the P4 has more horsepower... ;)
/Off subject

I can see the point of the guy, but didn't he say that he would take some time away from video games anyway ?

[PyRoT]

This guy doesn't appear to be very smart.. Maybe his game was just a lucky idea rather than talent. I just can't see any problem with the controller. Sure they are focusing on its new abilities but what does he expect them to do? Focus on the normal buttons? Other companies only focus on graphics and I don't see how that adds to gameplay as much as the Revolution controller will.

Anyway, I think it is going to be great. It's not like there wil be one type of swrod or gun game. That's just like thinking that the mouse is crap coz it can only be used for certain types of games etc...

[ParamountCell]

i think i remember hearing some place that he dosnt like video games, I could be wrong. The thing is, the revolution control wont appeal to everybody, in the world we live in innovation is often not given the time of day. I wonder if he has even played with the control. So far everybody who has played with it is converted.

[Bonedaddy]

READ WHAT HE'S SAYING. He doesn't want to be pinned down to doing one type of game by what controller he's using. Regardless of whether the controller HAS to be used in that way, that's all their touting it as -- if they've even announced a gamecube-type shell in anything other than an offhand comment, I certainly haven't seen it. He's just saying they're playing it up too much and making it come off as a gimmick.

It's one man's opinion. I've heard him talk, and I've got friends who have talked to him personally. He's not stupid. He is a wildly inventive, passionate person, with his own opinions, for god's sake.


God damn do I hate console wars.

[tozz]

Indeed, most people haven't read, or didn't understand what he was saying.

I think he has a very valid point, and I also think this will show very clearly when the console has been out for a while.

[P_T]

I'm thinking there's something lost in translation there, the way he said things came off as a little arrogant and not very japanese, I could be wrong though.

I went too far calling him stupid but I can't see any other way for Nintendo to market revo. Both PS3 and 360 are touting their processing power and graphic as their main selling point. Nintendo can't do that, they only have their controller so it's only natural they're hyping it up. Gimmick or not, it's the only unique feature Nintendo has to market.

Besides, revo controller still has D-pad, A-pad and some buttons and you will be able to play the old NES, SNES, N64 (via download) and GC games, so if he can make a Katamari game for PSP, I don't see why he can't make a game for revo using the normal control setup, specially if he's a "wildly inventive" guy as you said he is.

[nofosu]

The lack of hardware recognition is probably because of how under-powered it is. (About as powerful an Original Xbox)

…just an guess…

get over it.

It seems all you are seing is numbers, don't let that fool you. You even played down that red steel scan, which in my opinion looked very nice, which realistically not many x360 games look as good as. Don't get me wrong in no way am i saying that the revo graphics will be betta than the x360 or even the ps3's graphics, but at the same time, beutifull is beutifull, and all three systems are garenteed to show beutifull graphics, we know this, becuase thier predecessor, had thier fair share of grphically beutifull games. When i saw screens for a ds game called Eyshield 21, i was very impressed the ds could produce such great graphics and thought it beutifull, i was not there comparing it to the graphic quality of the psp. and if i have learnt anything from the last genaration, its not the raw power of the console that determines wether a game looks good it the art style. Any way back to Takahashi (hehe)
i am quite suprised he said this, because his type of games (ala Katamari Damacy ) would work so well wid the revmote. oh well, not evry one will be happy wid nintendo's direction. i for one will probably get all three consoles. 2006 onwards is looking fantastic for gaming.

[DirtROBOT]

Two quick chime-ins:
The GC version of RE4 is one of the best looking 'last gen' games - so twice as good as that is pretty damn good. The GC could pull off 7 rendering passes, if I remember correctly vs xbox's 3 and ps2's 1. That's 7 geometry renders in a pass. Nothing to sneeze at :)

The katamari creator is not your typical designer - this guy wanted electronic talking cats as the main interface for a grandmother-focused game. He's just an extremely creative guy and his views are bound to be extremely idiosyncratic.

[noisewar]

The katamari creator is not your typical designer - this guy wanted electronic talking cats as the main interface for a grandmother-focused game. He's just an extremely creative guy and his views are bound to be extremely idiosyncratic.


The man's a little too creative for an industry that is still about the bottom line. He's gone on to work on an amusement park now, so I'll respect his opinion but find it irrelevant. I know that I, and everyone I watched play Katamari, had tremendous trouble with one aspect of the controls.... that stupid analog jerking turbo boost. Whether they succeed or not, N's rev controller is intended to be almost a universal controller, adaptable to anything. Unless you're making a howling cat UI, there really are only 3 axes of motion, acceleration, velocity, and position to worry about. How can he complain when our current control schemes only give half that.

[TheSoracle]

OMG! How can you people say that Katamari Damacy is a bad game? That is by far one of the greatest games out there. I love the soundtrack too! :P

[noisewar]

OMG! How can you people say that Katamari Damacy is a bad game? That is by far one of the greatest games out there. I love the soundtrack too! :P

I think only one person has said it was lousy, chill pill ;)

[innermindseye]

俺はかれがアホだと思う。使った事ないかも。

i like the controller. better than no controller. better than same old same old controller.

俺はかれがアホだと思う。使った事ないかも。

[colinbrandt]

He may have a point in that people are getting too excited about the controller. I personally think that it is a great idea. I mean, developers have the option of not using the motion sensor at all and just utilizing the buttons on the controller. However, I imagine that most big budget games will use the motion ability to some degree yet still place a lot of emphasis on the buttons.

I'm really glad that Nintendo is using a new style of controller, and I think that the controller can have a big effect on how fun a game is. All games nowadays seem like the same thing and generally bore me. I'm excited to be able to interact with a game in a slightly new way.

[Lunatique]

You guys do realize that he's one of the most respected and admired game designers in the industry right now--and that respect and admiration actually comes from his peers in game development? Everytime he spoke publically at some kind of industry panel, he was met with standing ovation. This guy is the game industry's darling at the moment. I personally feel that when your peers shower you with praises, respect, and admiration, you've definitely proven yourself.

[ParamountCell]

I personally feel that when your peers shower you with praises, respect, and admiration, you've definitely proven yourself.

Everybody who has played with the revmote has given it praise to. Maybe that meens that nintendo have proven themselves? Well it dosnt matter what nintendo say, if people are determnined not to buy the console they wont. The same with Takahashi, if some one is determined to buy the revo, his coments wont stop them, even if they were intended to.

[noisewar]

You guys do realize that he's one of the most respected and admired game designers in the industry right now--and that respect and admiration actually comes from his peers in game development? Everytime he spoke publically at some kind of industry panel, he was met with standing ovation. This guy is the game industry's darling at the moment. I personally feel that when your peers shower you with praises, respect, and admiration, you've definitely proven yourself.

Back-patting happens all the time, and for a guy who's essentially done only 1.5 games, I call that kind of industry-wide respect premature. The industry is desperate for a hero to respect and admire, anyone doing anything without guns and gals is innovative. There are folks in the industry who've had a harder fight making more challenging games that can barely get published. I lump his work in with the guys who made Cloud- people will forever know him as Katamari guy.

[3dsMaxSux]

get over it.

It seems all you are seing is numbers, don't let that fool you. You even played down that red steel scan, which in my opinion looked very nice, which realistically not many x360 games look as good as. Don't get me wrong in no way am i saying that the revo graphics will be betta than the x360 or even the ps3's graphics, but at the same time, beutifull is beutifull, and all three systems are garenteed to show beutifull graphics, we know this, becuase thier predecessor, had thier fair share of grphically beutifull games. When i saw screens for a ds game called Eyshield 21, i was very impressed the ds could produce such great graphics and thought it beutifull, i was not there comparing it to the graphic quality of the psp. and if i have learnt anything from the last genaration, its not the raw power of the console that determines wether a game looks good it the art style. Any way back to Takahashi (hehe)
i am quite suprised he said this, because his type of games (ala Katamari Damacy ) would work so well wid the revmote. oh well, not evry one will be happy wid nintendo's direction. i for one will probably get all three consoles. 2006 onwards is looking fantastic for gaming.

nfususufus dude what are you saying, beatiful is not beutiful. beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and what are your eyes beholding? tell me what do you see, what do you see when you look at me ? katamri dynasty is art to some but, ass to others, so what can i say ? do you like looking at ass? Do not jump in to the bed of the devil just because of the promise of material gain. The revmote, holy grail to some and just a fancy pleasure inducing mechanism. yes like you i will most definatley get all three consoles there are so many games that are coming out on all of them that i am interested in, have you heard of bonebear the mac? excellent game with beautiful games and since it involves allot of in game air combat i for one, think that its the revmote will benefit this type of game greatly. The future is here and like you say the road to darkness is not a light switch. !!!?

[eek]

You guys do realize that he's one of the most respected and admired game designers in the industry right now--and that respect and admiration actually comes from his peers in game development? Everytime he spoke publically at some kind of industry panel, he was met with standing ovation. This guy is the game industry's darling at the moment. I personally feel that when your peers shower you with praises, respect, and admiration, you've definitely proven yourself.

Isnt that Will Wright? :buttrock:

As to the article, basically what he's saying is nintendo is over obsessing about there controller - we'll its pretty dam funky in my book, and may possibly change the way we play games, so they have a fair point and right. Hell there was tons of talk on 'the banana'!.

As to the linked article, we'll i thought that was pretty cool too!:D

eek

[P_T]

As to the article, basically what he's saying is nintendo is over obsessing about there controller

That's what I don't get. It's no different to MS and Sony obsessing over their HD graphic and processing power, it's just marketing.

I could change what he said to "I don't think HD graphic and more polygons with complex surface shaders should have that much influence on the enjoyment of games." and it probably has more truth to it than what he said about revo's controller. At least revo's controller promises a new kind of game interaction than what we're used to for the last decade or more.

I respect the guy for what he's done but in this case, his fame/popularity in the industry doesn't make his opinion anymore valid than the opinion of some anonymous kid on the net if he just say "I'm not interested" without exploring the potential of the controller first.

[gabe28]

Personally, I think that the game controller is where inovation is currently needed the most. The graphics have gotten extremely good but the way we interact with the games has been pretty much the same for the last several console generations. I don't know if the Nintendo wand thing is the answer but I bet it's a step in the right direction.

[innermindseye]

I could change what he said to "I don't think HD graphic and more polygons with complex surface shaders should have that much influence on the enjoyment of games." and it probably has more truth to it than what he said about revo's controller. At least revo's controller promises a new kind of game interaction than what we're used to for the last decade or more.

very well said. good stuff on the last 2 posts. im just quoting for agreement. nothing more to add here :)

[Lunatique]

Back-patting happens all the time, and for a guy who's essentially done only 1.5 games, I call that kind of industry-wide respect premature. The industry is desperate for a hero to respect and admire, anyone doing anything without guns and gals is innovative. There are folks in the industry who've had a harder fight making more challenging games that can barely get published. I lump his work in with the guys who made Cloud- people will forever know him as Katamari guy.

I can see your point, but at the same time, I think having made a name for himself with only 1 game is still a very impressive thing (not to mention awards he's won for it). I'm sure luck is part of the equation too, as there are other talents out there who remain "undiscovered" or ignored. This reminds of when American Beauty came out. I loved that film since the first time I saw it, and it went on to win the Oscar for best film. That was Sam Mendes's first movie as a director, but it didn't make me respect him any less. In fact I respect him more for getting it right the first time instead of making an entire career out of directing films but never achieving excellence even once.

[noisewar]

This reminds of when American Beauty came out. I loved that film since the first time I saw it, and it went on to win the Oscar for best film. That was Sam Mendes's first movie as a director, but it didn't make me respect him any less. In fact I respect him more for getting it right the first time instead of making an entire career out of directing films but never achieving excellence even once.

That's absolutely true, there isn't and shouldn't be a # of accomplishments that make an artist a great artist. PT Anderson is one of my faves, and he also went from zero to 60 in just three movies. However, for his opinion to stay relevant, I hope Katamari guy continues to put out challenging stuff instead of dismissing a huge and historied corporate game company's heartfelt attempts. It's not like Nintendo is a single auteur in a garage.

I'm guessing he's just still bitter at Namco being so openminded for the first game, and so two-faced on the second.

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