An interview with Nintendo’s super game designer Shigeru Miyamoto
Q: Wii 現在這麼熱賣, 有沒有扳回一城的感覺??
A: 也不是扳回一城的感覺，但是我真的深刻感覺到因為 Wii 讓大家又開始接觸遊戲了。
Q: 你大部分時間都在忙些什麼??
A: 我們有數款遊戲都接近完工狀態，基本上我都是在接近完工的時候作統合的工作居多，最近我在忙銀河馬力歐還有 Wii Fit。
Q: Wii Fit 的遊戲相當容易上手而且看起來所需要的人力與時間也不需太多，我知道可能有點複雜，不過你可以解釋一下為什麼開發一個簡單的遊戲需要: 這麼認真嗎??
A: 最難的部分在於開發團隊本身是有壓力的，他們在預想完成品或是如何做出完成品的環節上需要花很大的心力，而紓解這種壓力跟幫他們完成作品也就變成是我的工作了。我必須讓他們對於從沒人作過的事情感到興奮，即使遊: 戲本身很簡單，但是她整個系統其實是相當複雜的，其中有許多的元素你必須取得一個平衡：考慮軟體的完成時程、平衡板的製作．．．等。而對我來說，在這些元素間施展身手比坐下來寫程式有趣多了。
Q: Wii平衡板裡面有許多技術嗎??
A: 很顯然這使用了跟 Wii 相同的無線技術，它的確有重量感應。他們極其精確，與其他人不同的是：他不僅可以測量出重量，而且可以算出重心所在，甚至是重心移動的軌跡。
Q: How did the Wii Zapper. I think I recall George Harrison was that you weregoing to see how well people could shoot with the Wii remote and the Nunchuk.If they needed help, you would introduce something that helped them shoot.That was the Zapper. Did you wait to see if people who needed help shootingneeded it?A: When we first created the Wii Remote, we had an idea for some kind of WiiZapper. And last year at E3 we showed in a display case a prototype for aWii Zapper. That had a control stick built into it. What we found is thatthe reason we wanted to have a Zapper is when you hold a Wii Remote,it can be difficult for some people to keep a steady hand.And holding your arm out like that can get your arm somewhat tired.With a Zapper device, you can have your arm more stable and in a relaxedposition. We came to a conclusion that rather than have an analog stickon the Zapper itself, we could attach the Nunchuk to the Zapper and allowfor more diverse play styles.
Q:關於Wii Zapper？A:當我們第一次創造Wii Remote時我們就有一些關於Wii Zapper的想法。在去年E3我們展示了一些有個操作桿在上的Wii Zapper原型。我們想改良Zapper因我們發現了一些使用者握Wii Remote會使手臂疲勞而很難一直握住。有了Zapper，你可使你手臂更穩並在一個放鬆的位置。我們得到一個結論，與其多一個類比搖桿在Zapper，不如把Nunchuk放在Zapper上並允許更多不同的遊戲風格。
Q: Does it worry you that the Zapper can attract much bloodier games?A: I think we have seen how violence has been used in games so far without aWii Zapper to encourage that.I think that will happen either way.The concept behind the Wii is to provide the most intuitive interface wecan for the consumer. The most intuitive interface for the shooting game isto have something like the Wii Zapper.
Q:會不會擔心Zapper吸引很多血腥遊戲A:我想即使沒有Zapper的鼓勵也已有暴力遊戲。我想。Wii背後的概念就是提供更多直覺介面給我們的顧客。對於射擊遊戲最具直覺介面就是Wii Zapper。
Q: It is interesting that your accessories here are all very simple andinexpensive. The contrast between your wheel and Microsoft’swheel at $149 are very stark. Is that a deliberate strategy?A: It is definitely deliberate. There are a few different philosophies behindit. Nintendo always wants to provide the most intuitive device and one thatis easy for anyone to pick up and play whether they are a hardcore gamer,a young child or an adult. The devices need to be inviting.The other thing is that we focused all of the technology in the Wii Remotewhen we designed it. We wanted to create it in a way whereit would have expansion possibilities but even in the expansions, all of thetechnology would still be contained in the Wii Remote.The Zapper and the Wii Wheel – while I wouldn’t call them cheap – we’re able to produce them in an inexpensive manner. They have a straightforwardinterface, they look inviting to people. Because there is no real technologyin them, we can slip the Wii Remote in and they are ready togo in a way that is affordable for the mass market. Because of that, we’llbe able to provide new and unique peripherals that match new and specificplay styles in different games.
Q:你們的週邊便宜又簡單。Wii Wheel(方向盤)和MS($149)的比更明顯。這是深思熟慮的策略嗎？A:的確是深思熟慮的。背後有一些不同的哲學。任天堂總是想提供最直覺的裝置並且能被各年齡層使用，裝置也要吸引人。當我們設計Wii remote時專注於各種科技，我們希望創造remote能有擴充性，但在擴充的同時又能應用remote上的所有技術。Zapper和Wii Wheel--我不會稱這些便宜--我們只是用一些便宜的方法來創造他們。他們有直覺的介面，他們也吸引人，但是他們沒有真的技術在內，我們可以把Remote裝在裡面，他們已可被大眾市場所接受。因此，我們將會提供新又獨特的週邊來給不同玩法的遊戲。
Q: Is it at all surprising that it looks like accessories are the thingsmaking games more accessible to people? I would include the Wii controllerin that. Guitar Hero.A: It makes sense because the peripherals show the consumer immediately whatthey are supposed to do. You can play the guitar right away. And with MarioKart, you could use the Wii Remote alone and steer with it. But the Wii Wheel to go with that, it’s more intuitive and makes you feel as if you have abetter grip on the game anyway. Up until now, the video game has requiredyou to put your two hands on one controller. Every experience has been thesame. Now with the Wii Remote, you can go from that to steering, or movingyour hands and aiming. Or with your hands separated with the Wii Remote andthe Nunchuk. Separating your hands makes your entire experience feel fresh.
Q:是否那些週邊使遊戲更吸引人們？我可以把Wii操作 用在Guitar Hero(吉他英雄)A:這是合理的因為這些週邊使顧客直覺的操作。你可以馬上玩吉他。在Mario Kart上你可以只使用Wii remote來操作，但是Wii Wheel可以讓你玩的更直覺好像你真的在開車。直到現在遊戲仍需要你用雙手操作一個控制器，每個經驗都一樣。現在有了Wii remote，你可以像方向盤一樣的操作或是移動你的手來描準。分開雙手來操作remote和nunchuk是一個完全不同的新體驗。
Q: Did you look at and enjoy the Electronic Arts Wii games?A: I haven’t sent that yet.
Q:你看過和玩過EA的Wii遊戲嗎？A:我沒有看過
Q: What was interesting to me is that they had about four or so original Wiigames. They were original and creative. I expected more of that from Nintendo.You instead have a lot of games based on existing characters or previouslyknown games. I was looking for more next-generation Wii games. Or a secondwave of original Wii games. My question along with that is why aren’t youinteresting more brand new characters?A: I guess I don’t necessarily see my job as creating new characters as itis creating new experiences. Recently, Wii Fit is creating the concept andthe idea and the feeling behind the game. That has been one of my newcreations. For characters, we came up with the concept of the Miis andthat allows people to come up with their own characters. Maybe next yearsometime, we may have new characters in the same way we came up with Pikminwhen we introduced the GameCube.
Q:任天堂出了很多原創遊戲。我希望任天堂能出更多新一代的Wii遊戲而不是舊作續集。我的問題是，你們為什麼不喜歡創造新的角色？(為何老任喜歡舊瓶裝新酒?)A:我猜我把我的工作視為創造新的體驗而不是新角色。最近Wii fit創造背後有一些新的點子和體驗，這是我新的創造之一。關於角色，我們用Mii系統讓玩家自己創造屬於自己的角色。也許明年會有新角色就像在GC時我們提出Pikmin(皮克敏)
Q: It’s seems a different approach from what other game publishers say. Theyusually look at the start of a new generation of consoles to introduce somenew intellectual property.A: In Japan, we haven’t seen a lot of that type of strategy. To a certainextent in America, you are seeing a lot of the same franchises made moregorgeous or more complex. They continue to sell those. In Japan,we don’t see that strategy although it is a healthy strategy to take.Q:這個想法和其他的發行商大不同。他們通常會在新一代的遊戲機上開發新的產品線。A:美國喜歡搞一堆複雜的品牌，但是日本不這麼做，雖然這種作法蠻賺(healthy?)的。
Q: Do you have a strategy to target particular part of the market, likepeople over 50, with particular kinds of games?A: I don’t think Nintendo really thinks in terms of specific targets ormarkets. When we create a game, we try to create entertainment that isappealing to everybody. Here there is a lot of talk about the casualand the hardcore market. We don’t look at casual versus the hardcore.There are a lot of hardcore gamers who play a lot of casual games.And within the casual games, we can win some of them over and getthem to play the games that are more hardcore.We are trying to break down the psychological barriers even between those twogroups. Looking at younger audience games, there are child-like games thatolder adults will want to play. And it is possible that children will playgames with more adult themes. We don’t try to target one market overanother. We try to create games that have universal appeal.
Q:你是否對特定年齡層的玩家有不同的策略，就像那些年過50的人有特殊的遊戲。A:我不認為任天堂真的考慮到特定目標或市場。我們努力創造使每個人都快樂的遊戲。有很多輕度玩家和重度玩家的說法，我們並不只考輕/重度玩家，有很多重度玩家也玩輕度遊戲(casual games)，而我們也讓輕度玩家玩重度遊戲(hardcore)。我們努力打破輕度與重度玩家的族群。有些小孩喜歡的遊戲成人也想玩，而也有可能小孩想玩更深度的遊戲。我們不區分市場，我們努力創造所有人都接受的遊戲。
Q: I have a question that I asked Iwata-san as well. Why doesn’t Nintendo goafter the gamers on the cell phones or connected PCs. The casual gamers arealready there playing on those devices and those are large markets.The non-gamers are already there on those devices.Why do it the hard way and try to get them to come to the console when youcould go to where they are.A: Our real strategy is we are an entertainment company. When you createentertainment on a device that is dedicated to entertainment, you cancreate much more entertaining experiences. It’s hard to createentertainment on a device that is created for some other functionality like acell phone. Rather than create a cell phone, we can create games on a devicethat are dedicated to entertainment. I think that will continue to be ourstrategy. For example,the Wii Fit Balance Board is the type of experienceyou could never have on a PC.
Q:為什麼任天堂不出一些手機遊戲或是和電腦連線(在說MS嗎？)？那是很大的市場且有已很多輕度玩家在這些裝置上玩遊戲。A:我們的策略是我們是一間電玩公司。你在一個遊戲裝置上創造遊戲比那些不是設計用來遊戲的裝置如手機來得簡單。我們的策略是在遊戲機上寫遊戲而不是寫手機遊戲。舉例來說，Wii Fit Balance Board是在PC上沒有的體驗。
Q: So people are going to get naked weighing themselves in front of theirgame consoles now?A: Laughs.
Q:所以現在人們會開始脫光衣服在遊樂器前量體重了嗎??A:笑 :)
