Interview:Shack News October 15th 2013
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Shack News October 15th 2013
Date | October 15, 2013 | |
Interviewee | ||
Interviewer | Shack News | |
Description | Aonuma discusses A Link Between Worlds' rental system and annualization with Shack News at New York Comic Con 2013. | |
Source | ||
Rental System
[on breaking tradition with the rental system in A Link Between Worlds]:
Aonuma: Collecting rupees have always been a big part of Zelda games. But there was always a point in Zelda games where even if you collect rupees, there wasn't that much left to do with them. Making a game where there was a reason to continue collecting rupees was a big challenge for us on this game. One idea there was to make you purchase all your items, and obviously that would give you a reason to collect rupees.
But, that would make it very difficult to get items in the beginning. So, we made a rental service so that you could pay less money and rent items. The downside there is that if you have items that are rented, if you Game Over, you lose them all. We wanted people to feel like they want to save up their rupees and buy all these items and buy them forever.
But, that would make it very difficult to get items in the beginning. So, we made a rental service so that you could pay less money and rent items. The downside there is that if you have items that are rented, if you Game Over, you lose them all. We wanted people to feel like they want to save up their rupees and buy all these items and buy them forever.
[on whether the rental system was inspired by free-to-play games and mobile games in which players can purchase in-game currency]:
Aonuma: The idea of the rental system actually came from my own experience by getting into a hobby by first renting something and then deciding to actually buy something. But I can totally see how that kind of system would be a good business model, and I think that character in the game is a great businessman.
Annualization
[on Majora's Mask's one-year development]:
Aonuma: This was an idea that came from Mr. Miyamoto. The challenge he gave to me: to try and make a sequel to Ocarina of Time in just one year.
Ocarina of Time was the first 3D Zelda game. When you make a 3D game, you have all these 3D models. But in a 2D game, you're drawing all these 2D images. Even if you wanted to make another game right away, if the background is different, you actually end up having to re-draw everything. But in a 3D game, you can put those 3D models in different backgrounds and animate them. So Mr. Miyamoto thought 'well, actually shouldn't this make it easier for us to make a sequel?'
Ocarina of Time was the first 3D Zelda game. When you make a 3D game, you have all these 3D models. But in a 2D game, you're drawing all these 2D images. Even if you wanted to make another game right away, if the background is different, you actually end up having to re-draw everything. But in a 3D game, you can put those 3D models in different backgrounds and animate them. So Mr. Miyamoto thought 'well, actually shouldn't this make it easier for us to make a sequel?'
[on the increasing development times for recent console games]:
Aonuma: I think before, we did maybe try to make Zelda games come out faster. But there's so much expected of Zelda titles now, so you have to reach a certain level of quality, so that's why we started to take a bit more time now.
I don't think it's necessary that development needs to be longer. But to reach a certain level of quality, there's just a certain amount of time that's needed. Obviously, the company is telling me that I need to put games out as quickly as possible.
It's not like we feel like we have a duty to get one out a year. Right now, we're able to split ourselves between the handheld and console games and have two teams. I think we're pretty efficient in getting games out on a regular interval.
I don't think it's necessary that development needs to be longer. But to reach a certain level of quality, there's just a certain amount of time that's needed. Obviously, the company is telling me that I need to put games out as quickly as possible.
It's not like we feel like we have a duty to get one out a year. Right now, we're able to split ourselves between the handheld and console games and have two teams. I think we're pretty efficient in getting games out on a regular interval.