Post by GoldenYuiitusin on Aug 19, 2011 9:00:36 GMT -5
www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/5437/features/an-audience-with-masahiro-sakurai/
1. He decides the characters.
2. Popularity is important in deciding. (NOTE: Popularity =/= Importance, it just IS important.)
3. Uniqueness.
4. If the character contrasts with gameplay, he doesn't want them.
5. If there are IP issues, they have to be easy to deal with.
6. (Specifically regarding Pokemon characters) They have to be considered "perfect" by the Pokemon Company's standards. So yeah, blame them for Mewtwo's moveset in Melee and Lucario's moveset in Brawl.
This may mean that Mega Man still has a shot; he's popular (one of the most wanted characters), would add a unique gimmick (weapon change), and Capcom would be relatively easy to deal with (considering Capcom USA also wants Mega Man in the new Smash).
After talking to Sakurai for over an hour, one thing is very clear: he uses the word 'I' a lot. In an age where games are made by hundreds of people though, as opposed to the old days of lone programmers in their bedrooms, surely he doesn't make all the decisions by himself? "I decide what goes in the game; nobody else." Oh, right. "But when it comes to the characters," he continues, "there's a degree of balance to getting it right. The popularity of the character is important, for instance, as is the consideration of whether the character has a unique ability that only he, she or it can bring to the game."
1. He decides the characters.
2. Popularity is important in deciding. (NOTE: Popularity =/= Importance, it just IS important.)
3. Uniqueness.
It's not all about positive points though. It's important to avoid any negative points that might hamper the development process. "I also have to think about if the character pulls the gameplay in a direction I don't want it to go in," he agrees "and, of course, whether there are any IP issues to get over and if it'd be too hard to get that particular fighter in the game. Dealing with the Pokémon Company, especially, is quite difficult. They have a lot of details that need to be just right before they'll agree to anything." Having written about Pokémon ourselves in the past, we
know exactly what he means.
know exactly what he means.
4. If the character contrasts with gameplay, he doesn't want them.
5. If there are IP issues, they have to be easy to deal with.
6. (Specifically regarding Pokemon characters) They have to be considered "perfect" by the Pokemon Company's standards. So yeah, blame them for Mewtwo's moveset in Melee and Lucario's moveset in Brawl.
This may mean that Mega Man still has a shot; he's popular (one of the most wanted characters), would add a unique gimmick (weapon change), and Capcom would be relatively easy to deal with (considering Capcom USA also wants Mega Man in the new Smash).
