Post by Da Robot on May 3, 2011 21:03:07 GMT -5
A big article from Kotaku talking with Dylan Cuthbert working with Nintendo back in the 90's on games such as X and Starfox. It's a pretty good read. Some parts you may have heard of before over the years, but does have good/funny info.
Candy . . .
The work was tough, but invigorating. Eighteen-year-old Cuthbert was fueled by his desire to make games and by the kick of Japanese candy. Every day after lunch, he'd swing by the local supermarket, grabbing a bag of whatever unusual Japanese candy caught his eye. Gunpei Yokoi started noticing Cuthbert's penchant for sweets. He created a budget and told the young programmer that he could buy candy on Nintendo's dime. "So every day, I could buy whatever candy I wanted thanks to Yokoi-san," said Cuthbert. "All that sugar is great for the brain, especially at that age."
the idea of Starfox
Nintendo, being Nintendo, wanted to make a space shooter with a fox. The animal is rich with mythical association in Japan, and the fox idea was all Miyamoto's. When Cuthbert first came to Japan, Miyamoto took him to a shrine near Nintendo's offices that's dedicated to foxes. "It was kind of a surprise," said Cuthbert, "because I came from a hardcore sci-fi background."
Cancelliation of Starfox 2
"The thinking was that if Nintendo released another 3D game on the Super Nintendo," said Cuthbert, "then it would be compared with the PlayStation 1, and the quality was completely different." Miyamoto came and told the team that the completed game would not be released. "Star Fox 2 was disappointing but I could understand the reasoning—the PlayStation and Saturn had come out and were obviously superior to the SuperFX chip," said Cuthbert. "Considering the rivalry between Sony and Nintendo I could see exactly where they were coming from." The two consoles would have been unfairly compared.
Candy . . .
The work was tough, but invigorating. Eighteen-year-old Cuthbert was fueled by his desire to make games and by the kick of Japanese candy. Every day after lunch, he'd swing by the local supermarket, grabbing a bag of whatever unusual Japanese candy caught his eye. Gunpei Yokoi started noticing Cuthbert's penchant for sweets. He created a budget and told the young programmer that he could buy candy on Nintendo's dime. "So every day, I could buy whatever candy I wanted thanks to Yokoi-san," said Cuthbert. "All that sugar is great for the brain, especially at that age."
the idea of Starfox
Nintendo, being Nintendo, wanted to make a space shooter with a fox. The animal is rich with mythical association in Japan, and the fox idea was all Miyamoto's. When Cuthbert first came to Japan, Miyamoto took him to a shrine near Nintendo's offices that's dedicated to foxes. "It was kind of a surprise," said Cuthbert, "because I came from a hardcore sci-fi background."
Cancelliation of Starfox 2
"The thinking was that if Nintendo released another 3D game on the Super Nintendo," said Cuthbert, "then it would be compared with the PlayStation 1, and the quality was completely different." Miyamoto came and told the team that the completed game would not be released. "Star Fox 2 was disappointing but I could understand the reasoning—the PlayStation and Saturn had come out and were obviously superior to the SuperFX chip," said Cuthbert. "Considering the rivalry between Sony and Nintendo I could see exactly where they were coming from." The two consoles would have been unfairly compared.