GamePro: The Xbox versions of Ninja Gaiden required very precise control. The DS touch screen is known for being imprecise. Is that something you were worried about when starting the project [Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword]?
Itagaki: We weren't really worried about that. Games for home consoles have to be made a certain, almost digital way where you have to provide a certain input and you succeed or fail but portable games need a slightly different way of thinking. They're a different genre in and of itself so they can be a bit more... amorphous, is the word I'd use. They don't have to be quite as precise in that regard. It's about choosing the best way for each genre.
GamePro: There aren't many DS games that utilize a vertical setup. What made you decide to do that?
Itagaki: From the gameplay perspective, it decreases the amount of space your hand covers the screen. Also, its easier to show realistic depth to the 3D graphics when it's vertical. Since [Ryu] Hayabusa is a character that jumps and does a lot of vertical movement it's easier to show his movement using a vertical screen. Of course, we're also going to include a mode for left-handed players too.
GamePro: Team Ninja games usually appear on the most powerful platforms. Why not put the new Ninja Gaiden on the PSP?
Itagaki: The design philosophy for the PSP as a piece of hardware is a home gaming machine--in terms of specs--you can take with you. If we were gonna make it for PSP, it'd be better for us to make it for a powerful home system instead. The DS is designed under the concept of "What should a portable system be?" instead of trying to replicate the home experience. That's what attracted me to developing on the DS because you can really utilize its strengths as a portable platform. I think if I were to develop this game on the PSP, most of my fans would be upset.
I think if I were to develop this game on the PSP, most of my fans would be upset.
GamePro: A lot of developers have used the DS as a springboard of sorts for their ideas to go to the Wii. Do you think that's something that might happen with this title?
Itagaki: Just as this game is called Ninja Gaiden but it has a completely different style of gameplay than the other games in the series, I think there's definitely a possibility to bring it to the Wii if it was going to have a completely different style of gameplay. I won't say what game it is, but I was playing an action-RPG game on the DS the other day and the gameplay was exactly the same as any home console. Polygon enemies appeared and you fought them using the control pad and buttons. There's no reason that game has to be on the DS. By the same token, if you were going to take a game that was on the DS and put it on the Wii, if you're not going to change the way the game fundamentally plays, there's really no point to it. If you're going to try to make use of the originality of the Wii hardware and make changes to the game to reflect that, then it's worth doing.
GP: I noticed there's only one button used [pressing down on the D-Pad to block], at least in the demo. Is that something you did deliberately, to play to the DS' strengths?
Itagaki: To be honest, I didn't want to use any buttons. I wanted to completely use the stylus. I thought this would be the best way to balance it out. You can understand after hearing why I chose the DS over the PSP why I would do it that way.
GP: If you were to develop a game for the Wii, would you take the same approach of playing to the system's motion-sensing strengths and not using the buttons as much?
Itagaki: If I were to develop an original game for the Wii, yes. I would definitely do it that way.
GP: Do think this is a game you'll still be refining down the line as you've been doing for Ninja Gaiden on the Xbox with Black and Sigma? Do you think this game will have a long life span like that one?
Itagaki: Since this is a completely different title, I haven't really been thinking about sequels as we've been making. If after it's been released, we've found there's a lot of people out there loving this game then we might think about something like that.
I have so many games on my plate that it's hard to commit to sequels so far in advance. The first priority is to get this done and see how people like it.
GP: Before this game and Sigma, your last seven titles were for Xbox platforms. How has it been adapting to different systems?
Itagaki: It's been more than ten years since I worked on a Nintendo platform so it's interesting getting back into the fold with them. There's a lot of nostalgia there but they've also grown a lot as a company during that time. It's been very interesting working on this platform.
Nintendo is very strict about the quality of gameplay on their consoles but at the same time, they understand Team Ninja's philosophy on development, so it's been very rewarding working with them.The DS, unlike the PSP, is a portable that was designed to be a portable. As a piece of hardware it's very interesting to work with and look at from a developer's perspective.
The DS, unlike the PSP, is a portable that was designed to be a portable.
The layers of software used to run the DS are very slim, so it's easy for programmers to write code for the hardware to get the best performance out of it. I think it's a really good machine.
GP: Do you think you'll return to Microsoft platforms soon?
Itagaki: I wouldn't say return because I've never left. It's only what's visible to you, because we've been developing Team Ninja's core title for the 360 for quite a while now. That's something I've mentioned previously that I've been committed to for over a year. People tend to forget that I'm committed to the 360 so I'll say it again here: we are currently developing a title and we are committed to the 360 as our key gaming platform.
GP: Would you like to see the original Ninja Gaiden games on any of the downloadable services? Which one? [Note: This interview was done before Ninja Gaiden was released on the Wii Virtual Console]
My job is to create new experiences, not to go back and look at the past.
Itagaki: I have a lot of respect for the original Ninja Gaiden games on the NES. Those were good games in their day, but they're not really relevant right now. I don't really see any reason to put those, as is, on any downloadable service right now. That's something that Tecmo as a company might do at one point, but as for me personally, I'm not really passionate about it.
Because we really respect the old Ninja Gaidens, I think that's one of the reasons why I was able to resurrect that franchise as the best 3D action game of the modern day. My job is to create new experiences, not to go back and look at the past.
[color]GP: You worked with Bungie to include a Spartan character in DOA4. Do you that's something you'll continue to do in future DOA titles?
Itagaki: I think it'd be really fun to do something like that again. We have a great relationship with Bungie. Given the opportunity, I'd definitely like to do that. As you know, both teams are incredibly busy, so we only get the opportunity to see them a couple of times a year.
GP: What do you think of Halo 3? I know FPS aren't particularly popular in Japan, but did your decision to include the Spartan come from your love of the series?
Itagaki: I think it's an excellent game. Back in the days of Halo 1, when you exited the ship, landed on Halo, looked up at the environment and heard the epic music and saw the Banshees flying overhead--that crosses cultural boundaries. That's a beauty that I think anybody should be able to see. Whether you like the game or not is up to personal taste, but anyone who didn't think that was impressive is pretty insensitive to good games.
Could the Spartan make another DOAppearance?
GP: A lot of the enjoyment of the DOAX series is the ability to interact with beautiful women. Is that something Nintendo's more interactive systems would be well-suited for?
Itagaki: Part of the appeal of the DOA series is wanting to touch and knowing you can, so... [laughs]
GP: Your two Ninja Gaiden projects seem very different. One is a refinement on the Xbox original, while the other is a completely new take on the series. Which way do you think the next console Ninja Gaiden will go?
Our biggest strength is working on these powerful home systems, so that's always going to be the main path we're going to be taking.
Itagaki: Our biggest strength is working on these powerful home systems, so that's always going to be the main path we're going to be taking. Now that we're able to do a lot more within the team, we're branching out to do more games, so that's our "third pillar," so to speak, to go with Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive. I think we'll continue to do both.
硫酸脸表了下忠心 现在有一个重口味的360项目开发中 360是忍者小队的最主要平台
不过最后有点模糊 还没明确说到底ng新作会给谁 还在讨论-_- Our biggest strength is working on these powerful home systems, so that's always going to be the main path we're going to be taking. Now that we're able to do a lot more within the team
就等着NINJA GAIDEN 2登陆XO
