The GHZ Forum

I came across this very interesting interview recently that was conducted awhile back with Jason Rubin- the President of Naughty Dog. If you ever wanted to know how the levels in the old Sonic games were made, well...

http://games.kikizo.com/features/jasonrubin_vidint.asp

Can anyone summarize in text form?

Here's a mugshot of him to add to that empty space next to his description Green Gibbon

http://www.naughtydog.com/corporate/ken ... kazu_Y.htm

Man, I hope the British have as much trouble understanding Americans as I had trying to make out what the interviewer was saying. Rubin talks about Yasuhara at a bit before the halfway point.

Apparently--according to legend, he makes it sound as if it is possible that this isn't true (but after seeing some old behind the scenes stuff on Super Mario 3 on the NES, I'd believe it--he would pull out graph paper to plan out the level layouts, and draw not just tile representations, but actually the tiles themselves, over and over, so the result would be this HUGE image of the level on graph paper that someone would input into the game. How much would you pay for one of those on ebay eh?

He says that Yasuhara was THE designer (and Naughty Dog is in position to know since they have some of the US Sonic 2 team with them) for those games, he doesn't mention Naka or Ohshima, but he says the levels, enemies, the main game concepts, pretty much entirely Yasuhara. Apparently he's a really shy guy so he's dodged the limelight pretty well, and this Rubin guy's entire schtick (it's come up in interview after interview before) is getting the word out on the individuals in game companies and making them more real and celebrity like, giving credit to the people who are really behind the games. So naturally he's the sort to blow Yasuhara's cover.

Third point of interest is that Yasuhara remained in the US at SoA while Naka and Co. headed back to Japan after S&K because--for reasons either Rubin doesn't know or is unable to disclose--he did not want to work with Yuji Naka anymore. Interpret that how you like. :)

Nobody likes being called "useless".

I think that allowing Yasuhara to slip into the hands of the Jak team was a poor calculation on Sonic Team's part, because even if he (seemingly) couldn't help out with the 3D level designs of the Adventure games, he still could have quite easily helped Dimps with the Advance series that every Sonic fan seems to whine about.

Out of interest, what exactly is he doing at Naughty Dog? Is he doing level designs? I have never played the Jak games, and have found no information on the subject (read: Am too lazy to research myself).

From the sound of this, he is doing level design and a pretty key figure at that. Rubin says that Sega wasn't doing anything he was interested in so he way happy to move along to something else. According to Rubin he wasn't even a part of Sonic Team proper anymore when he left, so he'd been hanging around at SoA for quite some time. (That also explains his involvement in 3D Blast and Sonic R, since those were done "out" of Sonic Team)

Well he DID direct Sonic 3 and Knuckles, which is acclaimed by many to be the best Sonic game ever made.

Maybe Ohshima should move on to Naughty Dog. Rubin did say (in another interview) that he was impressed by the concept of Blinx. And the second Blinx game was pretty good from what I heard.

As a fan of the first Blinx, I do not like the second one very much. Everything turned very Western and horrid. The wacky landscapes and enemies were removed, and more "menacing" and "realistic" ones were implemented.

I blame this on the people who whined and whined about the first game, despite not owning the game at all (ie... pretty much everyone). You guys suck ass.

Neil Lafrenais wrote:As a fan of the first Blinx, I do not like the second one very much. Everything turned very Western and horrid. The wacky landscapes and enemies were removed, and more "menacing" and "realistic" ones were implemented.

I blame this on the people who whined and whined about the first game, despite not owning the game at all (ie... pretty much everyone). You guys suck ass.

Is it possible that all those many people who didn't enjoy Sonic Heroes or Blinx did it for reasons other than a pledged conspiracy of ignorance?

No.

What do Half-Life fanboys know anyway?

How to humour the ignorant.

An FPS without a sniper rifle, I cannot take seriously.

Boy, I'll second that. I hate FPS games, but I loves me some sniping. That was the one game I enjoyed in Halo, and it'd piss all my friends off because I was "camping", or some other such silly multiplayer label, and I'm like, "Well if I'm winning, so what?"

What was the first Naughty Dog game Yasuhara was actually involved with? Jak 2, wasn't it? I really didn't like Jak 2 or 3, I think they're getting needlessly complex and losing focus. The typical American platformer "sequel" mentality is to add more shit, and it's dragging some otherwise decent series into the ground. I actually dreamt the other night that I was playing some fucking awesome new Sly Cooper game, and it wasn't all weird like Sly 2, it was sort of like Sly meets Sonic Adventure or something. Then I woke up and realized how desperately in need of a good platformer I am.

What was the first Naughty Dog game Yasuhara was actually involved with? Jak 2, wasn't it? I really didn't like Jak 2 or 3, I think they're getting needlessly complex and losing focus. The typical American platformer "sequel" mentality is to add more shit, and it's dragging some otherwise decent series into the ground. I actually dreamt the other night that I was playing some fucking awesome new Sly Cooper game, and it wasn't all weird like Sly 2, it was sort of like Sly meets Sonic Adventure or something. Then I woke up and realized how desperately in need of a good platformer I am.

Tell me about it. There are none on the horizon, either. But there are tons of excellent action RPGs on the way - but it's not the same thing.

Action RPGs? Like what?

Does Fable count? That's pretty bad ass, although it is already out.

You have to admit though, that unless platformers (or ANY type of game) does not any additional features to the core game to improve on it, despite its stellular level design or awesome graphics, it will always be considered a cookie-cutter sequel (or more of the same). But adding additional features for the sake of additional content also runs the risks of screwing up the games main mechanics or focus (ala Sonic Heroes). It's definately a fine line to travel.

Segaholic2 wrote:Action RPGs? Like what?

Shining Tears, Shining Force NEO, for two.

Zeta wrote:

Then I woke up and realized how desperately in need of a good platformer I am.

Tell me about it. There are none on the horizon, either. But there are tons of excellent action RPGs on the way - but it's not the same thing.

Maybe that new GC Kirby game will be good... :/

I'm actually interested in that. I like Kirby.

chriscaffee wrote:An FPS without a sniper rifle, I cannot take seriously.

Pffft, we don't need no pussy beginner baby sniper rifles. We have a sniper crossbow. That's where the money is at.

Action RPGs? Like what?

Final Fantasy XII, Brave Fencer Musashi 2, Kingdom Hearts 2, Legend of Zelda GC - and one or two others that I can't even remember.

I'm actually interested in that. I like Kirby.

Ar. The only really bad Kirby game I've ever played was the Crystal Shards. That one was just boring and uninspired. But the original, Dreamlad 2, Kirby Adventure, Dreamland 3, and the Amazing Mirror all kick ass.

Segaholic2 wrote:Action RPGs? Like what?

Musashi 2's coming along nicely.

Zeta wrote:Final Fantasy XII, Brave Fencer Musashi 2, Kingdom Hearts 2, Legend of Zelda GC - and one or two others that I can't even remember.

Too bad I'm not interested in any of those except Zelda.

Zeta wrote:Ar. The only really bad Kirby game I've ever played was the Crystal Shards. That one was just boring and uninspired. But the original, Dreamlad 2, Kirby Adventure, Dreamland 3, and the Amazing Mirror all kick ass.

No mention of SuperStar? You heathen.