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http://games.kikizo.com/features/yuji-naka-prope-interview-feb-2009-p1.asp
Kikizo Interview wrote:
Kikizo: I think people were surprised when it was announced that you'd end up working with Sega after all, having left Sega to set up Prope. By contrast, Mizuguchi-san has only worked with other publishers since leaving Sega. Why did you take this direction?
Naka: I'm not sure how it is in the western games industry, but Japanese games development is very small. So as a creator, once you've reached a certain point, you take on more of a managerial position and don't get to make the games any more, and I think that's why people like Mizuguchi-san and I go independent and set up a new company. And so far, it's often been the case that when these people go independent and set up their own company, the creators sort of act 'against' the old employer - almost like a rivalry. But I didn't have that intention - I didn't have that kind of relationship with Sega - so it came quite naturally for me to maintain that strong relationship with them. And I always knew that these [Prope] titles would be published by Sega. --- Kikizo: How do you now reflect on Sega deciding to leave the hardware business? Naka: I was very much against Sega ceasing to develop hardware, and I think at the time Phantasy Star Online was just about to come out. Okawa-san, who was the head of Sega at the time, said that the networked approach to gaming was something we should pursue, and so that game was developed with that concept fully in mind. At the time, internet infrastructure wasn't really up to the standards it is now; not everybody was even online, whereas now, everyone's got it. Chu Chu Rocket was released as a test to see what was possible, and as a result of that we subsequently developed Phantasy Star Online. But yeah, until the very final moments, I was really against Sega leaving the hardware business. In a way I feel that, had that decision not been made, Sega would have gone bankrupt - so maybe it was a good business decision. But at the same time, I also feel like, what the hell - we should have given it a go, and we should have taken that risk. But that is just my personal opinion, because I really enjoyed the hardware side of things at Sega. --- Kikizo: Well thank you for your time. Now, in my photo, I would like to include the orange socks you are wearing, to show how you have colour-coordinated... Naka: [In English] Yes - Prope's corporate colour is orange! Kikizo: And did you choose orange because of Dreamcast? Naka: Yes. [laughs] It was a shock to me when i first read so i had to read twice to get to terms with what he said.[/quote] |
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| _________________ Maximum Pool: Saturn Quake 3: Saturn Starlancer: Don't know yet. PSO: Saturn Selling my Dreamcast Broadband Adapter, contact me via private message if you are interested |
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At the time a lot of developers at Sega were very saddened when Sega pulled the plug on the Dreamcast, but so far over the years nobody has been more vocal about it than Naka. He has said this many times in various interviews. In-fact I find his new companies logo "PROPE" to be a touching tribute to both the Dreamcast and the NAOMI.
I think it is great that Yuji Naka himself is just as diehard devoted to the console as all of us still are. Everyone else thinks Dreamcast fans are a bit crazy, but with Naka being just as crazy as us, it sort of validates our stance on the Dreamcast being one of the greatest systems ever  |
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| _________________ I'm already numero uno on Dark Helmet's hit list... |
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Anyone know why he's such a staunch DC supporter? | |||
| _________________ In the game since 9/99 |
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All of those warm fuzzy feelings we get when playing the Dreamcast, he actually was able to generate some of that from the development end. Just imagine what it was like at the time launching the Dreamcast to the world, and creating games like Sonic Adventure, Chu Chu Rocket, and Phantasy Star Online. I think ones love for the Dreamcast would be magnified greatly if one was actually working for the company, and making these amazing games. You sort of get this "root for the home team" mentality. Plus Yuji Naka as well as all of the Sega developers were encouraged to be creative and innovate new original properties. It really was a time of creative freedom at Sega.
Back then it was all about trying to beat the competition by coming out with one awesome first party sega title after another. This was Sega's plan. If I was Naka, and I worked at Sega making games in Japan, I would feel a great sense of pride looking at all of the titles Sega internal first party teams were making. Everything from Crazy Taxi to Alien Front Online. It was an inspiring time. |
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| _________________ I'm already numero uno on Dark Helmet's hit list... |
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The part that really stands out to me is that, from what I understand, Phantasy Star Online's creation depended completely on Chu Chu Rocket's online success. It's hard to believe that such an incredible game could have never been. It does make sense, since it is Phantasy Star Online, but still... | |||
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If you really think about it though, using Chu Chu Rocket as a testbed before approving PSO makes all the sense in the world. It had been years since Sega had developed a Phantasy Star game, let alone one in 3D. To take your most famous RPG franchise, and gamble it on 2 unknowns "3D and Online" was something to be cautious about. Sure, now PSO to us is this great amazing game, but you have to wonder would PSO have been as amazing had Sonic Team not gotten tested the waters with Chu Chu? | |||
| _________________ I'm already numero uno on Dark Helmet's hit list... |
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| I think Yuji Naka was more vocal about it because he had been there for such a long time and put in so much hard work into it and really didn't expect for it to happen | ||||
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