ゲームクリエイター、小島秀夫だけど質問ある？ | Tech Support | WIRED Japan

ゲームクリエイター、小島秀夫だけど質問ある？ | Tech Support | WIRED Japan

I want to pioneer a new genre,
so I don’t focus much on existing ones. I love space settings,
so I’d like to try that. I’m also a fan of Westerns,
so maybe that. If you’re watching and think, “I’ll be Kojima’s right-hand man!”
please contact me. Hi! I’m game creator Hideo Kojima. Today, I’ll answer questions about me. This is Hideo Kojima Support. First question:
“What makes a game “good” to you?” First, the creator’s love. That’s key. Also, since it is interactive, say there’s an item
with one intended use. But it doesn’t end there. The player thinks, “Maybe I can use it
this way, too?” and tries it out. It works, and they think, “Oh, cool!” Then they try another way,
and realize that’s prepared too. It’s about that level of freedom. The player discovers things
for themselves, and finds those mechanics. Not everyone has to do it,
but the game is full of gimmicks like that. I think a good game contains
that kind of depth and evolution. “I’m a game developer.
I create things as a hobby.” “How do I make a game
that never gets old,” “one you want to replay
even after completing it?” “What should I focus on?” Since games are interactive, I say I write stories,
but it’s not just that. It’s the world, the controls,
and especially immersion. You want to be there. It’s about making you
want to stay and play. Say you stop playing for the night. You go to school or work. The key is wanting
to return to that world. Making the player want
to dive back in is crucial for games. There’s a unique world
inside that space, where you can be different
from your ordinary self. It lets you do things you can’t do
in real life. That’s vital. Next, “How do you get the specialized
science and history knowledge?” “Do you study yourself,
or use advisors?” I wish I had experts, but I don’t.
So I study daily. I read literature, watch documentaries,
and catch news specials. I haven’t read research papers lately, but I try to absorb things daily. To expand on that, I go to libraries, or search online to learn more deeply. If you’re watching and think, “I’ll be Kojima’s right-hand man!”
please contact me. “I heard that at the end of development,
you play and adjust the game yourself.” “What exactly are you looking at?” Game production takes a long time. First comes planning, specs,
and meetings with staff. I check individual assets made
by each staff. In the last year,
we put it all together. I grab the controller
and play through many times. I look at controls, graphics,
characters, models, glitches, animation, sound, sound effects, music, and gameplay. Also the code… or rather… I check everything,
including effects and maps. I play over and over,
fixing things as I go. Checking the camera
from the player’s perspective. I listen with headphones,
or directly from the screen, adjusting volumes and everything. Finally, I tune the difficulty
while bug checking. I personally tune the Normal mode. I always do that.
So, I check everything. I fix story pacing issues right there. So I adjust everything,
including direction. It’s a very crucial phase. Not many do this, I think. Okay, next one. “What do you consider your masterpiece?” I get asked this a lot.
My latest work is my masterpiece. So that would be Death Stranding 2. “In Death Stranding,” “did you build the world
to fit the delivery gameplay?” “Or did the world come first,
then the delivery idea?” “Game details and the world-building:
which comes first?” For Death Stranding, well… I first thought of the phenomenon,
the Death Stranding, in which the dead return,
and coming in contact causes explosions. People stop going out
and become isolated. The player, Sam, connects
these isolated people. So I thought delivery would be
the best mechanic for connecting. For me, story, theme, and gameplay, and design all complete
simultaneously within me. I refine them as I think. Next: “Any new genres
you want to take on?” I want to pioneer a new genre,
so I don’t focus much on existing ones. World-wise, maybe hard sci-fi. I love space settings,
so I’d like to try that. I’m also a fan of Westerns,
so maybe that. Or a period piece.
But those exist already. So I’m thinking about what to do. Next up. “Is there a movie you’d like to
adapt into a game?” A movie to adapt? Let me think. I recently saw “Predator: Badlands.”
That felt quite game-like. Traveling with Elle Fanning
on your back. I also recently watched
“Last Samurai Standing.” The plot has game-like qualities. I might not make it, but it seems cool. The plot and worldview are suitable
for a game, I think. “In regards to evolution in games,
aside from VR and 3D,” “how will mobile and PC games develop?” Right now, games and movies, photos and art, are
all basically screens. Filling a square frame
with info and timelines. That’s how we directed
and measured effect. Games are the same.
TV, PC, smartphone, iPad… Portable play is everywhere,
but still trapped in a square. With VR or AR, the screen and frame disappear. This is an unprecedented experience
for art and entertainment. Stage plays lack frames, in a sense, but removing the frame will give way to
new entertainment and directing techniques. And forms of expression
will change drastically too. I think that’s very important. We are in an era of major change
for art and entertainment. It’s very interesting
so I’m quite excited. “What talent is key for game creators?” Loving game creation is
the biggest thing. Just doing it as a job hinders growth. Also, games differ from movies or art. You can’t decide the timeline. Players move freely
because it’s interactive. In a way, it’s a service industry so
you need a hospitality mindset. You need to want to make them happy. You have to watch
how different people behave and anticipate their moves. That’s how we make it. It’s probably similar to someone
designing a theme park attraction. Someone with that kind of talent,
or who enjoys stuff like that. Someone who loves surprising
and pleasing others. Like the class prankster.
Maybe they fit best. “What game have you played the most?” “Super Mario Bros.,” definitely. Played it for a year.
I was a college student. I skipped school to play at home. Without Super Mario,
I probably wouldn’t be in this industry… Yeah. I can’t really play it now, though. It’s a side-scrolling action game. Mario just goes left to right.
Basically just jumping. But there’s a dash button. Using that and jump subtly changes the jump trajectory to attack or dodge. It had almost no story,
but it felt like you were on an adventure. When I saw that, although it was
pixel art with no story I felt this medium would
one day surpass movies. That conviction brought me
to the game industry. “Which film director influenced
your games the most?” That is difficult. Kubrick, Kurosawa, Hitchcock raised me
since childhood. These three are my foundation. In my teens, George Miller,
John Carpenter, Dario Argento and Martin Scorsese. They influenced me greatly. Later I got into indies like Tarkovsky, but that’s the gist. The influence from my teens is
the biggest, I think. Especially Carpenter, he defied genre, blending sci-fi, horror, action,
and westerns. That influence is huge. “AI control in the real world is
becoming a reality.” “MGS2 touched on this back in the day.” “Did you predict this era would come?” “If so, why did you think
that back then?” MGS2 is often mistaken
for a story about AI, but it’s about digital society. MGS1 was about DNA. What isn’t left in DNA are memes. That’s when I thought about the shift
from analog to digital. In digital, everything remains.
Like social media today. Even graffiti remains
without deteriorating. The internet connects everything, and opinions are exchanged
directly everywhere. MGS2 explored
what human life would become then. It wasn’t about AI, but interweaving digital data
gaining a will of its own. That was the story. So, well… 24 years have passed. It has become somewhat of a reality. I didn’t predict it,
but rather a future I didn’t desire, but unfortunately we’re heading there. “What do you do to generate
new ideas and worlds?” I try to stimulate myself
as much as possible. Movies, books, museums,
talking to people… I can’t vacation much,
so I mix travel with business. Every time I get stimulated… that sensation links to creation. Sometimes I sit and think all day, but I prefer to see various things. I intentionally change the scenery
I look at. Taking the train
in the opposite direction, or walking backwards. Looking at the street
from different angles. Viewing things from a kid’s height
changes the perspective. I do those things intentionally. But I love reading and watching movies, so it’s not a chore at all. “What is the masterpiece of
masterpieces for you in film?” Hmm. I get asked this a lot,
so I’ve picked one. “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Humans meeting god-like aliens. The Monolith appears in it. I rewatch it every year.
Creation is my Monolith. Perfect films are rare,
but that one is perfect to me. It was released a year before
Apollo landed on the moon. It doesn’t feel old, even
without CG or digital tech. It’s very fresh, scientific,
and philosophical. That’s my all-time best. “What does creativity mean to you,
not as a creator, but as a person?” “And from your perspective,” “what is the true essence
of creativity?” I’d like someone to tell me that. To me, creating isn’t special. It’s simply part of my daily life. Like sleeping, eating,
walking, or bathing. Or using the bathroom. It’s built into my body. It’s not unique for me. From waking to sleeping,
I’m always thinking. When inspired, I instantly visualize
and conceptualize. Then I just go to the office
and bring those ideas to life. Nothing special. I think most professional creators
are the same. If creativity were taken
out of my daily life, I probably wouldn’t survive. Thank you for watching. I received many questions. While there were
many familiar questions, there were a few that truly sparked
fresh realizations about myself. It was a great learning experience. Maybe I’ve been making games
without thinking so deeply. These questions changed
my perspective. Thank you.

日本版Tech Support（#テックサポート ）に世界を熱狂させるゲームクリエイターの小島秀夫が登場。『DEATH STRANDING』の待望の続編『DEATH STRANDING 2: ON THE BEACH』を今年リリースし、ゲーム業界で革新を続ける小島監督が『WIRED』に寄せられたさまざまな質問に答えます。

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00:00 オープニング
00:35 小島監督が思う、良いゲームの条件とは？
01:28 「何回遊んでも飽きない」ゲームを作るには？
02:33 物語に必要な歴史などの専門知識はどうやって得る？
03:19 小島監督自身のゲームプレイによる最終調整で見ているポイントは？
05:05 最高傑作は？
05:27 「デススト」はゲーム内容と世界観どちらを先に作っている？
06:25 今後チャレンジしてみたいゲームのジャンルは？
07:00 ゲームにしてみたい映画は？
07:33 今後、ゲームはどのように発展していく？
08:48 ゲームクリエイターに大切な才能は？
09:52 これまでで最も遊びこんだゲームは何ですか？
11:04 小島監督のゲームに最も大きな影響を与えた映画監督は？
12:04 「AIによる統制」を予測していた？
13:38 新しいアイデアや世界観を生み出すために意識していることは？
14:47 最もオススメの映画は？
15:45 小島監督が考える「クリエイティビティの本質」は？
17:03 エンディング