CitazioneEDGE: How do you feel about the wider gaming landscape – the spectacle-driven games, as well as the explosion of Flash gaming and niche titles?

Miyamoto: I think I should share with you my own approach on how to make games. I first come up with some sort of theory, outlining unusual game functionality that people might enjoy. And as soon as I think of that sort of idea, I want that idea to be in the hands of the customers as soon as possible. So then I think, ‘OK, to realise this, is it really necessary for us to have the title or an introductory movie screen at all? Do we really need to incorporate a story that’s going to take up programming time?’ With this in mind, we can decide on the actual deadline for completion.

From that point I try to take the minimum number of steps because, as I say, I want to provide the customer with that unusual experience as soon as possible. So, I’ve had some strong disagreements, in my mind at least, when people say, “We are going to make this big title for this release date”, or, “We are going to make this small title”, because that is not the way I personally approach making games. Actually, it’s the complete opposite of how I make games.

I have never denied the beauty of big titles. Nor have I ever denied the potential of the smaller – or ‘ichi’ – titles at all. However, whether it’s going to be a huge game or an ichi title must depend upon how you want it to be realised for the customer, to provide that experience you first thought of. You have to focus not just on the end result, but on the purpose, I guess.

The people working on so-called ‘small’ games are interesting in terms of software design, because there are fewer people involved in making sure that the end result will suit the tastes of its intended audience. As a creator of small games, the ability to put your own personal expression on something can be highly appreciated by the audience. When you are working on the so-called ‘big’ games, there is always competition with other companies. There’s always a precedent.

If we’re going to compete against these big titles, we need a great number of programmers and design staff and so on. In the end, what becomes most important in trying to create that game is who is going to be the co-ordinator. We have to create a whole process and decide upon the desired end result and the quality of the software. In other words, what is required is that this person has the ability as a manager, not necessarily as a game developer. So I think it’s logical for me to say that if the total size of the game project is smaller, more personal expression and taste can appear. While I am not denying the qualities of big titles at all, when I am working on a so-called ‘big’ game, the first thing I really have to do is try to select the best people to handle the management of it.

http://www.edge-online.com/features/interview-shigeru-miyamoto

Ho postato solo una delle tante domande/risposte dell'intervista, sempre piena di spunti interessanti come spesso accade quando a parlare è colui che è forse il gamedesigner più popolare di tutti i tempi. :)

C'è una succosissima intervista anche su GamesTM del mese scorso.