Director Hideki Kamiya Interview: STYLISH Desires

[berto]

I don't know why I still post these. I don't think anyone ever reads anything before DMC3. Hell, I wasn't going to post this one, either, I've been sitting on it for years but nothing of similar nature seems to be of any interest to anyone but me anymore. Still, for the sake of archiving it before the website takes it down I think there'll be no harm and people can reference it if ever need be. It looks like the guy will never finish his work, which is a shame, because I really wanted to read the rest of the stuff he was going to translate.
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Devil May Cry Director Hideki Kamiya Interview

STYLISH Desires-1​

-In the early development stage, how much of the Devil May Cry blueprint was in Hideki's head?
"This game was not started by the original game, it was started to create a new Resident Evil series."

-The relationship between Hideki and Resident Evil is deep. When Hideki started to work for Capcom, the first development team he joined was Resident Evil. The team was lead by Shinji Mikami.
"The development of Resident Evil was really fun. We were working for Mikami Director, who said "Good enough to sale this game about 300,000 copies but we're going to make the game worth to seeing." and I truly felt we are making the masterpiece."

-In following Resident Evil 2, Hideki directed the game, but in this time, he faced a big wall.
"I was in between "as a creator" and "as a businessman". The word "Productivity" was on my shoulder."

-What kind of thing was his wall?
"Resident Evil series' presumption is "The Fear" and all directions have to intensify the fear. Also, Resident Evil is series game, so world of the story is already built up. I created the game carefully following the fear, but in the cut-scene, I couldn't resist to make it showy. Sometime people said "Resident Evil 2 is not scary" ... Well, maybe that opinion is right. *laugh*"

-Restriction because it is a series game, it actually closes the freedom of developing the game.
"Also, company gave me a order "Make a game that sales 2 million copies" so, We have to create the game to find the point between the attract original Resident Evil fan, such as hard core game/horror fan and open the door to attract newbee users."

-Fortunately, Resident Evil 2 achieves the goal to sale 2 million copies. Even Hideki was satisfied to show his color in the game. Also, he has a sentimental feeling towards Resident Evil 2 because the game was his very first directed game. But he still had a feelings something about the game was undeveloped.
"So, when I started to make new Resident Evil (Later changed to Devil May Cry), my goal was "Full Model Change!!". We can't do like use to be anymore, then I changed the game theme from the fear to "The Stylish", to turn Resident Evil to the showy action game."

-It was a challenge to the area that the old Resident Evil never stepped into.
"In this point, the idea of create the game to be fun action game was in my head. "Realistic motion animation", "Exciting graphic effects" and "Dramatic sound effects" everything Resident Evil uses to increase the feelings of fear, I use those elements to create showy speedy action game and I wanted to make action game with super visual impact. Everything started from that."

-And his new Resident Evil series game turned to Devil May Cry, the brand new game. When the game got free from the restriction, Devil May Cry's goal, "Stylish hard action" was born.
"I think Mr. Mikami wanted this result as the game is not stay inside small area. Well..... of course, he was mad at me a little.... *laugh* "

-When new Resident Evil turn to Devil May Cry, Hideki had one focus point, it was the identity to be a action game.
"I already decided to make the game for die-hard action game users, because if I made easy newbee game, they are not going to feel the real fun to play action game, such as "Tension of dealing with the enemy", "Satisfaction from achievement" and "Pleasure to be better""

-Create a real game is his aim.
"Resident Evil is not an action game, the only action you can do in Resident Evil is aim the weapon and shoot. I consider Resident Evil is more like adventure game. I wanted to make Devil May Cry to reflect users techniques directory to the game play. If you have good reflex, you can beat the game easier.

-His game experience with "Fantasy zone" or "Gradius", he said he beat "Star Fox" once a day when he was a student, also he loves to play "Zelda" ....... He always tried hard to be better and beat those games, those experiences are his background to create the real action game.


Interview from: Devil May Cry Graphic Edition
Published date: Dec 20 2001
Published by: Kadokawa Syoten Co,. LTD

 

[berto]

STYLISH Desires-2​

-In Devil May Cry, -the desire is to create a fun action game, there are many option for mode of attack. Without a variety in action, the game would never be able to magnetize the user and be a challenging.
"In the beginning, my first idea was to attack the enemy by gun, but then an idea to use the sword came up, in Resident Evil world, that kind of idea will never happen because it doesn't match the world of Resident Evil, but we are making Devil May Cry, so we evidently decided to use it."

-The sword is not only a weapon to just swing around or cut.
"When we decided to use sword, we had to think about how the character can use the sword, then we have to think what kind of style to use. My idea was western or eastern doesn't matter, all the sword fighting style is Dante's style.
Actually, traditional knight sword and knight style sword fighting is beautiful, but it is not going to be Dante's way, also Devil May Cry is not the kind of pretty game. Not gentle!!
Dante is the son of a legendary knight but he is the man who relentlessly blow devils away with his guns. I don't think that kind of guy should care about fighting style, or better not care about it. We should break all stereotypes and it creates new Dante's way. This was the whole idea. If I can give you a good example, it is like major league player who hits big home-runs with messy form. The character motion designers got my idea quickly. Even they wanted to create with my idea I thought."

-Hideki said not only cool, he wanted something that gives a strong personality to Dante. Creation of Dante's way is exact creating Dante himself. Also, after the game released, Dante's image is guns and sword, but in those days, still Dante was just two guns Dante.
"After we developed the game a while, we realized we could keep both guns and swords all the time in system memory. So, we decided to put sword on Dante's back and put different buttons for both weapons, so the users can change back and forth in a second."

-After the adoption of the sword, another idea quickly came together.
"In the game, there are two different fighting styles, such as "Alastor the sword" and "Ifrit the arms" but before, we were planning both weapons are sword and only difference is thunder sword and fire sword. We even made half circle shaped fire sword design. But after we decided Dante is sword and guns, and started to finish up fire attack part, I was thinking about some kind of stylish and unexpected fighting style. I thought if we have fire attack idea, we should make something gives users a surprise. My answer was martial arts. Kick and punch, round and jumping kick or axe kick!! When I had a meeting with the character programmer, we were having so much fun creating new fighting ideas. And we created fighting Ifrit.
When I was making Devil May Cry, I tried not to be caught by one idea or stuck in small world,always keep my head wide open and search for a new ideas and feelings.
I thought "OK, world is devil world and enemies are all devils, but it is OK to give axe kick to devil, looks totally cool and that kind of unprecedented idea is Devil May Cry." and I try to be adaptable for all different kind of ideas."

-Then a lot of action motion ideas were adopted for Devil May Cry. The users use different attacks and achieve a style this is one of the main elements that makes Devil May Cry a complete action game.
"In Resident Evil, everybody try time attack, but in Devil May Cry, if you run away from enemies, you can't get orbs so the users get frustrated and attack enemies. *laugh* then, when the users start to attack the enemy, they want to achieve "STYLISH" and play more. Therefore, I try to make the game for users to hold the controller until the end of the game, and I tried to create a game play that users will be addicted to.
I thought it has to be fun to use attack that only you make "STYLISH" I want users to create their own "STYLISH" attack, not follow the attacking ideas from guide book or somebody else."

-Yes, Hideki put not only action in Devil May Cry, but also we can't forget about the pursuit of individual styling.


Interview from: Devil May Cry Graphic Edition
Published date: Dec 20 2001
Published by: Kadokawa Syoten Co,. LTD

 

[berto]

STYLISH Desires-3​

-Dante's personality is cool, and it makes a unique atmosphere in the game. How did Hideki build up Dante's personality and what kind of image were in Hideki's mind?
"To be expressive is important in the real world, but if I build a character's personality like in the real world, it is not going to be a hero type personality in the imaginary world. I felt the guy inside is more stylish and cool."

-In the process of building Dante's personality, the first thing that came up in Hideki's mind is the character came from the Japanese comic "Cobra".
"Even when Cobra fights, he has a little smile on his face, it is cool. But, sometimes Cobra makes a serious face and it makes tension for the readers. Dante too, usually Dante talks to devil like he doesn't care, but he is carrying sadness and spiteful feelings because his family was killed by devils, so his mind can't be calm like water without a wave. He is not going to be scared but his mind is burning with anger. But if he lets devils know about his feelings, the devils provoke and try to hurt his feelings..... so he pretends to be calm and keeps pretends.... then in the end, he can't keep doing it anymore and his story climaxes.
"The beauty of keeping feelings inside" is really Japanese way, I think. But I wanted to create not always mad or calm character, the character has liveliness."

-He put all the feelings of a hero in to Dante.
When he asked the character designer to make visualized image of Dante, he gave three focus points for designer.
"I gave "Stylishly run with long coat", "British guy" and "Doesn't smoke cigarette". Long coat is I just wanted to put something showy on character. British guy is I wanted for Dante to be not only a fighting man, witty and traditional fighting man. About cigarette, this is simple, I just thought man without cigarette is cool.
After all, designer gave me his idea and we finally came up with the final Dante. His cloth color is red because the red color is showy and cool from all the other colors."

-Hideki didn't have exact image of Dante in his mind, more like he left the work for the designer. And this way is not only character designing.
"I always do job like that, so sometimes things turn to really different than what I expected. But I think it is OK, because the designer went above my idea. I know it is important to keep first idea too, but development of the game is a long turn job and sometimes your feeling of what is good changes. I think it is natural and I trust those feelings."

-It was like build up to STYLISH by Hideki's thoughts. But it was not an easy job to make all staff members to understand "STYLISH". Especially, Devil May Cry staff members were over 40 people.
"Yes, to keep good communication among staff members was the most important thing in development. Actually, if I go to a business trip one day, in the next day, we had a whole lot of problem. But I wanted to make THE GAME, I wanted to make the game that users can feel we really enjoyed to create. So, I tried to keep the team's atmosphere motivated. To make people understand what I want to make, I tried to chat with all staff members. Directors job is not only direct game, make team's mood is one of the important jobs too. If I always say stuffy things, Devil May Cry will be a stuffy game too. Actually, I'm not a serious person anyway *Laugh* If I tried to be serious, maybe Devil May Cry would never make the game like it is now."

Interview from: Devil May Cry Graphic Edition
Published date: Dec 20 2001
Published by: Kadokawa Syoten Co,. LTD

 

[Moondivider]

I read it! Stuff like this is one of the reasons I come to this site.

 

[outoftheblue]

Thanks, berto. Very interesting read.

 

[EA9Sol]

I like to read this kind of stuff. :3 it's very insightful and interesting. Thanks fot the read.

 

[devil_inside123]

Thank u all giving berto

 

[Morrigan_Sparda]

-He put all the feelings of a hero in to Dante.
When he asked the character designer to make visualized image of Dante, he gave three focus points for designer.
"I gave "Stylishly run with long coat", "British guy" and "Doesn't smoke cigarette". Long coat is I just wanted to put something showy on character. British guy is I wanted for Dante to be not only a fighting man, witty and traditional fighting man. About cigarette, this is simple, I just thought man without cigarette is cool.
After all, designer gave me his idea and we finally came up with the final Dante. His cloth color is red because the red color is showy and cool from all the other colors."

Ninja Theory obviously had nothing of this in mind, what a shame u.u

A curious data; when seeking locations for RE4, they traveled to Spain (yes! My country) and the castle where develops the DMC1 this located in Segovia ("Castillo de Coca").

Thanks for the interview, I had not read

 

[berto]

Ninja Theory obviously had nothing of this in mind, what a shame u.u

A curious data; when seeking locations for RE4, they traveled to Spain (yes! My country) and the castle where develops the DMC1 this located in Segovia ("Castillo de Coca").

Thanks for the interview, I had not read

Si pero también tiene mucho de la Sagrada Familia y otras obras de Antonio Gaudi. El estilo de art nouveau, o modernismo, como le decimos en español, fue extractado de el Parque Güell, especialmente en las áreas donde se nota que el mundo se esta mutando por las fuerces diabólicas, donde hay curvas y párese derretirse el castillo.

 

[DragonMaster2010]

Ninja Theory obviously had nothing of this in mind, what a shame u.u

They weren't trying to make a classic Dante though, so of course none of that was added to the final product.However earlier designs of new Dante probably did.

 

[Morrigan_Sparda]

They weren't trying to make a classic Dante though, so of course none of that was added to the final product.However earlier designs of new Dante probably did.

I know the idea revolves around the new Dante not seem to classic. They walked away from both the main concept only coincide in his name. I did not like the outcome. Vergil yet if I liked how they adapted.

 

[V's patron]

I did it funny that Kamiya described Dante as witty like a British Guy as people complained back when DmC was announced that Dante was now changed from American to British.

 

[berto]

I did it funny that Kamiya described Dante as witty like a British Guy as people complained back when DmC was announced that Dante was now changed from American to British.

I don't think that particular complain had any real ground to stand on. I think that one was more people trying to find little things to nag about since they were so angry. If DMC had any form of British memorabilia on Dante it would've been out of place, no doubt about that, but it wouldn't have been so contradicting to the character's nature that you need to riot over it.