Yuji Horii (if Yuji Hori)
Born in 1954, Awaji Island, Hyogo Prefecture. The first graduate of Waseda University Faculty of Letters. Games start on the road working as a freelance designer. The era was the mainstream action game "murders Pier" (1983) worked on the game after the success of such a unique, role-playing game "Dragon Quest" series spun, the Japanese video game foundation (for example Ishizu) and build a significant impact on the gaming industry.
Born in 1986, "Dragon" is a hot item in the 1990s explosive children and adults, sparked a social phenomenon. Japan's leading role-playing game (RPG) Todorokaseta its name as "Dragon Quest" series has long-maintained position while continuing to evolve today. Such "Dragon" and creator of, Mr. Horii's game designers are working in the games industry for many years, and that the future of media and games How did you be involved in the production of video games as a place of expression, many asked to talk to. [Interview1] 取材のついでにゲームコンテストに応募
- First, please tell How did the game designers.
I am a freelance writer from school, I wrote an article in a magazine such as Seventeen and Shonen Jump. So at the age of 27, I Tteiu I saw featured a newspaper article in the New Year microcomputer. Looking at that article, that says the microcontroller can be different. Harlequin Romance is also that, in fact the plot is made with a microcomputer, Nantes wrote there, I did not know that until then the computer will, but I had never even hit the keyboard may be used to work I do not think I bought it. After all, it used to work, but I did not remember the BASIC programming language such as in the aftermath was to make tennis an easy game or just over six months.
When I was addicted to the computer so I'm doing, and I formed a game featured in Shonen Jump gravure. Special because it was very good reputation from Phoenix doing a program at the time of the game contest, following a request that I came to interview them or Kurenai. "Dattara features of the game, would be nice interview with Mr. Horii Once you've" So, I passed the article is from the editorial staff of the jump, I Did It also contains within it a contest entry form. Dattara, Maybe I'll have made your own game submitted, then I have applied for it in my hand. And "Please come and do the interview because the contest presentation," do you see the interview it is said, there were winners among his works. The person in charge "game, I made me," and say, "Well for example?" Is amazing (laughs). I like the drama was expanded.
Such programs like the contest is not unusual at that time I is not. Become a hot topic in the gaming industry of the microcontroller, so the winners are not commercially available with the Phoenix. Still had the tape media. Considerably since those games sold for a dozen winners, I've made a request that please do something because the next commercially available. [Interview2] アドベンチャーゲームの制作へ
- The next game I was making the game like?
Meanwhile, overseas is a small article 読Mimashi There is a adventure game. Can continue to enter the word comeback, it's a game I wrote was the story proceeds. I think that could be made if such is not heresy but, unlike an action game, play it on my own Do not make no sense. Since there had commissioned from Phoenix, this is a good chance of making you think, for a microcomputer, "Pier murders" It is not that.
- Before you play something called your own adventure game, I made an adventure game I had.
That's right. I had pictures and stories at the time aspiring cartoonist, of course, made by one person all your programs. It was not the author of the microcomputer was one game all. Originally, I was reading the manual is not a man, to do What would I do this I do, and I look very hard and you lose. While making the game is really fun.
Because I was a writer, is interesting in that sentence, "Pier murders" have become a hot topic, the fledgling personal computer magazine, "login" I came to the interview. In the aftermath, another adventure game "hot water consumption in Hokkaido Okhotsk chain murder" is to be produced, I was interviewed as a travel plan and go to the magazine. Never heard from Nantes to location scout to make a game of fun Yarrow! What is. There also do not just talk but Tteiu 食Betakatta crabs editors actually (laughs). Then came the boom of the NES, said that you will never make anything in NES, Mr. Koichi Nakamura, winners of the program was a contest, "If I can be at Pier NES 'just say, with The NES version of "murders Pier" created a. I made this time period is about six months. "Pier -" in the wake is not the game designer's career began gradually. But it was still working was also a writer, "Dragon Quest III" to each is "the game is debauchery," said Nantes was.
But I was thinking of using the medium of expression because the paper was originally aspiring cartoonist, I changed the media sensation that went from paper to computers that are attracted by an expression of interactivity of a PC. [Interview3] ファミコン・ブーム到来、そしてドラゴンクエストの誕生
- Become a boom in the 1985 NES, "Dragon" but does not appear, the situation at that time I did feel like?
"Shonen Jump" It is not great was the response I get the gravure Video Games featured on the NES. Reader survey, by far the manga entered the top gravure article. It is not the children's deep interest in the NES's it.
"Dragon Quest" is the first first work was produced with great speed. And Akira Toriyama, the staff put in five producers, five-month period was around about. You have only 64 kilobytes of the cassette capacity of NES, in the capacity of a single mobile phone wallpaper now so to speak, and must not put a picture program, the amount so I did not I, scenario . My usual is "Shonen Jump" It was the writer continued, "I come Tteiu interesting role-playing game" while writing an article that was making their own games. "What I like role-playing game" you can explain to the reader and, by the time the game is actually released all "RPG and" what is it that the deployment did you know that .
- How was the reaction of the children? What difficulties did not say so?
"I'm going stronger than fighting," "I'm game to experience the story while interacting with the characters" say, and interest more kids in fact, even difficult, for example, it "interesting," says I me. "Dragon Quest" to get the game action was so mainstream, I feel that what happens is there. Therefore, such ideas are easier to approach but I was full. Beginning of the game first, if the king trapped in the room, put many commands and can not answer anyway. But when you left the room, opened the treasure chest, and talk to people, open the door and down the stairs, I added the commands needed to remember about the game. Once in combat, so the opponent attack you "fight" if I press. That way is up experience, and level up, become more and more strongly. As you level up quickly and early on, wanted a taste sensation that feels stronger Tteiu. Properly transmitted to the user like it the first "Dragon Quest" sold a million books a little, "Dragon Quest II" 200 million copies, "Dragon Quest III" with high fever. Date you are a large matrix. [Interview4] 『ドラゴンクエストIII』まではプレッシャーはなかった
- "Dragon Quest III" is even a social phenomenon, the pressure produced when I did not feel?
"Dragon Quest III" It is up to feel. , Because when we make the first work I really wanted that many truncated. After all there are only 64 kilobytes, but I could not hope to do it all. Can only be one party. There are only 15 types of items. This monster can only 出Senai. I only made to extract the essence of fun in these limitations, in accordance with the increased capacity to evolve rapidly to reverse the NES, I went 入Retakatta by adding the element. I enjoyed it so I have made.
Even when making his second, two to play at a party who does not play a sudden I thought, previous work hard, the first scenario, starting with one. In the game, but I will find a second and a third fellow, hard to find. When you finally met, "Well, I looked for" What is coming from people saying, anyone who has played the "looked'm here!" I think you can. Temashita and writing speeches for such aim uke (laughs).
"Dragon Quest III" with "I" from "III" led to the beautiful, the first thing one would have liked to do, we all realize Shameless. So I really suffered for from the next. "Dragon Quest III" since the break, and "Dragon Quest IV" It is not expected to be large. Trying to do, so I somewhat Horsetail doing what you want, and troubled. So, "IV" So I do not have their lives to his friends, in idea, we can experience the story of the character shapes in the omnibus company. "Dragon Quest" in production, we start from large format thus always thinking. For example, "Dragon Quest V" So now let's write a story killing the devil child over three generations, from a place called Yarrow have plagued players in the game yet really started.
- What is now looking to plot how much staff? Also, I think it's important in creating the game? What.
The plot itself, but I think that we've gradually bigger games, such as details of the actual words, "Dragon Quest IV" has got to collaborate on some staff from each. "Dragon Quest VII" We value the participation of five. After all, some 10,000 to about 6,000 pages of A4 paper just scenario. The amount equivalent to 20 copies in an 8-inch file. I'll write on one level is not so. Production of the game itself, the fact is gradually division of labor system, "Dragon Quest VIII" has a total size of at least 200 people. Longer production period will now take 4-5 years to make a single game.
The important thing in the game, whether it is fun to play basically. What is a mystery in the game, but it is not that bad become bad that even a single whole. A good picture even better plan, no matter how bad would it just ruin the usability. Scenario, visual, musical, it is important to balance the elements that I operability. [Interview5] モニターの向こうに人間を見てほしい
- Please advise to people seeking a future game creators and game designers.
Although we are making a game against the computer, and that I'm really against that person. So instead of seeing the computer, which I hope people look beyond the monitor. In this sense, and must not make you think of something what everyone amused. And they just ran into technical, but very well-made, What is it gonna be boring to play games with.
Moreover, because the first users of their own game, I want it to be an objective look at the game. I think I have a lot of games regrettable. I'm well done, just a little fix here, but make it better! I think many things. I also produce a really hard because one game, the game creators also know the kind I'm really struggling. It is a regrettable and wasteful finishing touches.
Compared to the past, "Kusoge" but what is called becoming less and becoming more intense and the difference between games and sell games sell and vice versa. The game is "crushing elements Castor" and "element of fun" but there was now "Elements of killing Castor" is taken to the Internet chatter on cell phones and computer email. Since everyone has been out of time, really "want" I became 遊Banaku I think the game only.
- What do you think the future of gaming will happen?
Currently established as playing the game I think. But the boom is gone, as a form of entertainment, are doing the game in the sense watching television. Now young children, would not understand things when you arrived there were already games. They are now when the old man, if I do it I seem to bonsai. I'm not doing the game maybe. In this sense, is also going to subdivide the game, they'd be able to play the game is suitable for their age.
Try doing my own online game, I thought better of it 年取Tsu do it. There is more to it full time, becoming even Shindoku normally be running, and ran in the game is Mawareru love, filled with young people can talk. That the real world, but I will be talking to strangers and freak deal, and I can usually talk to that net, but it is not all friendly. And that there is a strange phenomenon occurs in the net more warmth than the real world.
In addition, future or maybe I have another new one is born not more, "the other, how Grandpa Bakkari games, old smell!" It may be that it is the world is called Nantes (laughs).
Statement coverage: Maya Kishida Photo: Sayaka Ono