HOSHINO

As you know, Cursor*10 and Onore no Shinzuru Miichi wo Yuke are for different platforms. We will hear how the platforms affect the games.

HOSHINO

There are not so many people who are interested in both retail games and free web games, but some people already have noticed that Cursor*10 and Onore no Shinzuru Michi wo Yuke are very similar.

Today's guests are the creators of each game.

Ishii-san from NEKOGAMES is the creator of Cursor*10. Hello, Ishii-san, it's been so long since last time we met.

ISHII

Hello.

HOSHINO

Watanabe-san from Silicon Studio is the planner and developer of Onore no Shinzuru Michi wo Yuke. Hello, Watanabe-san.

WATANABE

Hi.

HOSHINO

First of all, I'd like to ask about Onore no Shinzuru Michi wo Yuke. FromSoftware is the producer, right?

WATANABE

Yes.

HOSHINO

Please tell us how you've become the planner and the developer of this title.

WATANABE

FromSoftware and I were talking about making a game together for a while, and they told me that they were looking for a game for PSP. That made me search for an idea of a game for PSP.

At the same time, I read an interview with Ishii-san on 0stage's website and learned about Cursor*10 for the first time. I already knew NEKOGAMES and their games, but I didn't know about Cursor*10 at all. Then I took a look at Cursor*10 and loved it. It was simply a great game.

HOSHINO

Do you mean the idea was great?

WATANABE

Everything. The idea was great and also the graphics were simple and neat. It was really attractive game. I was interested in how the retail version of this game would be.

You know, a Flash-based web game cannot directly be converted to a retail game. The design must differ because the players' tastes differ. Cursor*10 is a high-quality web game, but it cannot be a retail game as it is. I had to think what kind of changes I could make.

HOSHINO

I see, so you were lucky to discover Cursor*10 and receive a request from FromSoftware to make a PSP game at the same time.

WATANABE

That's right. I quickly made a proposal and contacted Ishii-san and FromSoftware.

HOSHINO

Did you ever think they would not like your idea?

WATANABE

Yes, but if they didn't like it, I just would not develop it. That's it. Not a big deal. I was pretty confident with my idea, though, because the game concept was already brilliant as a game and also Ishii-san said in the interview that anyone can borrow the idea from Cursor*10 to make another game. I thought I just need to talk to them sincerely.

HOSHINO

What do you think is the necessary element to make a retail version of a game?

WATANABE

Well, longevity like the number of the stages is important as well as the characters.

HOSHINO

I think otaku people would quickly understand the potential of Cursor*10 and get excited to learn about it. Oh well, it's weird for me to say so because I was the one who really got excited to play Cursor*10 for the first time.

Anyway, you think the characters are important to attract non-otaku players and longevity is important to please the video game lovers.

WATANABE

Exactly. For example, Okama-san designed the characters of Onore no Shinzuru Michi wo Yuke. Maybe some people would take a look at the game because they like his illustrations.

That is one of the ways to gain more people's attention. I was wondering what I could do to make more people interested in this game.

HOSHINO

What made you feel like that? Is it Cursor*10?

WATANABE

Yes. For example, Hoshisaga would not make me feel that way. It is absolutely Ishii-san's game.

On the other hand, Cursor*10 is more like a cluster of possibilities.

HOSHINO

Let us hear about development.

WATANABE

There are lots of situations where I feel "yes, this is great!" Many ideas come out from many resources. Someone explains me a completely new idea, then we mix the ideas.

It's truly a cluster of possibilities. You would not feel like this when developing ordinary games. We really enjoy developing this game.

(Interviewer: 0stage, HOSHINO Ken'ichi)

links
- NEKOGAMES
- NEKOGAMES : Cursor*10
- FromSoftware
- FromSoftware : Onore No Shinzuru Michi wo Yuke
- Silicon Studio
- okama
- 0stage interview : vol.1 ISHII Yoshio