Game Development Giant

The day the carnival opens.

Jester was lazily basking in the sun at his estate in Los Angeles.

With him was Hideo Kojima, who also did not participate in the carnival this time. In fact, Hideo Kojima himself was not very willing to go to the carnival because he had not played games all year round.

Of course, there was a reason why Jester met Hideo Kojima.

"Xiaojiao, you have been in my development team for a full year. I transferred you to the development team a year ago, and then we worked together to improve the main line of the game and a large number of plots in the branch lines. Your idea is to continue Stay here until my game is finished, or leave now and start your work on Metal Gear Solid?"

Jester asked Hideo Kojima who was sitting next to him while drinking a drink.

This question actually made Hideo Kojima a little embarrassed.

Indeed, what he wants to do most now is the development of his game. After all, because conditions did not allow it at the time, he participated in the 'Era' project. But now the new engine developed specifically for the next generation has been debugged. The performance is very good, coupled with the terrifying capabilities of the next-generation console, it will definitely impress those who have never seen it before.

In fact, even Hideo Kojima was surprised when he saw the performance of the new engine.

With the new engine, "Metal Gear" can be officially developed. After all, the game he wants to make is far less huge and scary than Jester's "Era" plan.

However, staying in the 'Era' project and participating in this game development plan that will eventually go down in history gives him a feeling of participating in history. As a game designer, he can officially participate to the development of such a game, and to be able to watch him from project establishment to completion. This whole process.

That must be a great honor too.

But since then, until 1995, I never had time to make the game I wanted to play.

Seeing that Hideo Kojima did not answer immediately, Jester continued: "I support any idea you have, whether you want to continue to stay in the 'Era' project team, or you want to do it now I support my own games unconditionally, and the 'Era' project team really needs you very much. Of course, I can tell from your eyes that you think the game you have been developing for five years is the most perfect. What a longing for the game.”

Hideo Kojima frowned.

He really couldn't make a decision for a while.

Jester looked at Hideo Kojima's expression. He knew what he was thinking. He didn't try to persuade him any further and just nodded: "Just do what you want and do what you want and desire most right now." Things. Don’t force yourself.”

In fact, Jester hopes that Hideo Kojima will continue to stay in the 'Time' project team, because no one knows better than Jester that Hideo Kojima exists. How helpful it is to the entire development team, but Jester also saw some of Hideo Kojima’s current thoughts from Kojima’s recent behavior, especially after Hideo Kojima saw the demonstration of the new engine of the ‘Era’ project.

His thought became more and more intense.

certainly. Regarding the game "Metal Gear", Jester is extremely hopeful that Kojima can complete it as soon as possible, because in this world. I am afraid that even Kojima himself will not know better than him how great this game will be in the future.

No one knows what kind of lofty status Kojima will gain in the gaming industry with this game.

Even if Jester closes his eyes now, he can still recall how shocking the "Metal Gear" series was to him, with its ruthless style, tough characters, tense games and almost perfect military details. ...There has never been a game that has told a story about anti-war in such a serious way. There are few warriors in the history of games who can show his vicissitudes of life so richly. Floating up from the black blue waters of Alaska, Shadow Moses Island has become embedded in the vision of many players and has become a long-lasting legend.

"Kojima, I have read your three different development plans for Metal Gear Solid. The themes and content are all excellent."

Jester saw that Hideo Kojima didn't say anything for a long time, so Jester took the initiative to speak.

But before Jester could say more, Hideo Kojima sighed.

"Boss, I actually hope to continue working in the 'Era' project. However, I am really eager to complete the most perfect game in my mind. Your new game has a grand idea, and the design is almost Perfect, but this is not what I most hope to accomplish. I have not participated in the development of any game in the past five years. When I was in Japan, I only served as a reviewer of some plans. Over the years, I have always had ideas in my mind. This game is just cardboard modeling, and I have done it more than 3,000 times.”

Hearing Hideo Kojima say this, Jester already knew what he meant.

Therefore, he had no hesitation or displeasure. He smiled and said: "Okay, then you can prepare for the development of "Metal Gear Solid" after you go back. I will license the new engine to you... How many people do you need as a team?”

"You don't need a lot of people. Thirty people are enough. After all, I have made so many paper prototypes of the game I want to make. Almost all the scenes can be reproduced directly in my mind. It doesn't matter at all. It requires too many people to participate..."

Jester nodded: "Okay."

In fact, the paper prototype is a development technique that Jester started using at Mars Entertainment when he was developing "Quake".

That is, before making a scene, they first use paper to make a model of the model they plan to make, so that everyone can have an intuitive impression.

In this way, both the program and the artist can easily understand some of the planning ideas.

In fact, this is the earliest game development technique born from FPS games in its original history, especially for FPS games. This kind of development technique will be particularly common in the future.

To design levels for FPS games, use paper prototypes to simulate continuous movement on a grid or hexagonal map in a turn-based manner. You can then design level maps and team strategies. It is very simple. What Hideo Kojima wants to make is a In stealth games, in fact, in the production of scenes, you can completely refer to the design method of this kind of FPS game.

Therefore, when Hideo Kojima learned about the development method of "Quake", he immediately went to the headquarters to study for a period of time.

Then, over the years, he has been using this method to perfect the simulation of the game scene in his mind. It can be said that Hideo Kojima has now conceived all the levels of the game he wants to make. .

Jester has great trust in Hideo Kojima's ability. After all, he is the greatest game designer born in the Japanese game industry after Shigeru Miyamoto and Yu Suzuki. His influence on the industry is unparalleled. , especially his innovative spirit that dares to deny himself, is worth learning from every game designer.

Don’t forget your original intention.

It’s something that every game designer knows, but few can do.

In the years when "MGS", that is, "Metal Gear Solid" was born, due to the large number of masterpieces, players at that time were actually very picky.

I have some experience in how to play any game, but when "MGS" is placed there, it breaks those rules and regulations. How should an action game be defined? What does it mean to be wonderful? Each producer has his or her own answer to these questions. Should mgs be considered an action game? It can be said that there was considerable controversy at the time.

Even at the time, there was no way to accurately position this new style of game.

You say it is a shooting game, but there are not many shooting elements. You say it is an action game, but there are not many action games. You say it is an adventure game, but it does not decrypt many things. You say it is an RPG. It's a game, but it doesn't have many role-playing elements.

The impact of mgs on traditional games is undoubtedly subversive. No one told you that games can be played like this before: mgs tells you that cigarettes can detect infrared rays at close range, tells you that you should use night vision goggles for sniping in the dark, and tells you about electronic interference. Ammunition is most valuable in dense surveillance areas, and it also tells you that killing enemies is not the best way to complete the mission.

"MGS" certainly has its own answer. It tells players: action games that use their own imagination are the best.

There is no doubt that this is a perfect answer.

Each boss has no specific battle mode, and each scenario has a different path forward. Although the concept of adhering to games to make players think may not be suitable for the fast food era, it has become a unique landscape.

The answer to whether video games are art is very simple, and it is a yes in most people's minds. Of course, some producers will give direct answers through their works. They present their exploration, innovation and exquisiteness one by one, and ultimately convince people. It seems a bit inconsistent to use words like great to describe "mgs", but it is indeed the case.

Jester remembered that he once had a friend who said this.

That was when Chen Xinghan won the 2012 GDC Game of the Year award and won six out of ten awards in a sweeping manner.

"If Chen Xinghan can have such creativity and talent until he is fifty, then he will be the next Hideo Kojima." (To be continued...)