Tomonobu Itagaki: Interview Summer 06

Our regular meeting with Itagaki to talk about the finer points of drinking-inspired creativity, DOA Xtreme 2, and more. Fantastic HD version of the DOAX2 trailer included!

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Kikizo: So you like Jet Ski games, how about in real life?

Itagaki: Just in games.

Kikizo: Which such games have you enjoyed and have inspired these parts of Xtreme 2?

Itagaki: Wave Race on N64, unquestionably. I am really good at that, I am probably better at that than DOA. Seriously.

Kikizo: Interesting - I mean with some games, there is only so good you can get. But something like DOA4 is quite deep and difficult to master. So what traits does a gamer need in a jet ski game to be a master at the level you're at?

Itagaki: The most important thing is not to be distracted by all the beautiful images in the surroundings - keep yourself pure!

Kikizo: We see new DOA4 characters like Kokoro in Xtreme 2, how are they all getting on outside of the hectic fighting of DOA4?

Itagaki: I haven't really thought about all that - it's just a hobby for me after all, you know! I drafted three different scenarios and left them on my desk. So when I go back, I am going to take a look at it again and figure things out.

Kikizo: Do you remember what any of those scenarios were?

Itagaki: [Shrugs] I don't know! Haha. I think that's the kind of attitude I like to maintain while working on this game. Just being relaxed about it, or even being drunk, will give me different ideas, as a different person.

Kikizo: Yeah, I know you like a drink. What do you think it is about that that gives us better or different ideas? What stuff have you thought up, that you wouldn't have when sober?

Itagaki: The first thing is that you shouldn't think too deeply. Most game developers including myself like to think in depth, so it's important to have time when you're not thinking so deeply. So you know, all those attractive environments in DOA4, we usually come up with the ideas for that and talk about it while we are drinking. Basically, if we have twenty stages, nearly half of them will be based on theory from when we are still sober, and the other half we just try to come up with crazy ideas, while intoxicated. With the fighting title, maybe forty per cent of the stages were based on being loose and fun, but with DOAX2, ninety per cent is loose and fun!

Kikizo: So, how many drinks does it take for ideas to stop being feasible, good ideas, and start being just complete nonsense?

Itagaki: Haha! It's hard to say, because I am drinking pretty much full-time. Of course, there are ups and downs, waves, of how I drink in terms of the amount, but it's a long period of time. In the last ten years - not that you asked this question - I think I had better ideas when I was drinking whisky. When I am drinking shochu, that's a conservative drink, so the ideas are not that great. Beer is just like water to me, so it just helps me and everyone else loosen up a little bit, it doesn't really contribute to coming up with ideas.

Kikizo: I am clearly nowhere near your level yet. When I read back the notes I make when drunk, I wonder how I managed to write such shit.

Itagaki: It just means that you haven't been drinking enough. Haha! Not often enough. This afternoon, keep drinking more.

Kikizo: I will take that advice on board. So anyway, what was the thing with the photo mode in the trailer?

Itagaki: Yeah, you can take some serious photos with the photo mode. In real life, I am so serious about photography that I don't like to take photos while I am drunk.

Kikizo: And let me get an update on the other things you are working on, Ninja Gaiden 2 and Code Cronus.

Itagaki: Code Cronus of course, I am still kicking around ideas, and Ninja Gaiden 2 we are now in the preparation stage. Do I need to be more clear than that, or...?

Kikizo: Well, come on. This is probably the third year we have asked about Code Cronus, and I don't think you have even said what genre it is. Are you prepared to say more at this stage?

Itagaki: Haha! It will be action... something. Not just action, but action-xyz.

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