E3 2005: Yoshinori Sasaki Interview
Wanna know what one of Konami's head producers is toiling away at these days? You'll have to check out our exclusive interview.
Published: June 13, 2005
PSX2.com: Going back to the PSP version of Ys, did you have any trouble porting the game over to PSP?
(YS) CM: The Playstation 2 version is polygonal – the PSP version will be similar to the PC version where it’s sprite based so, using sprites and the sort takes up a lot of memory and one of the things we found out is the PSP has some limitations to its 2D ability. So, it has a lot of power, but the memory is lacking.
PSX2.com: Are you reluctant to develop anything for the Playstation 3 -- do you think that Konami isn’t ready to handle an RPG for that power?
(YS) CM: … Well, I don’t know if we’re able to talk about it, but Suikoden 5 might be … well (laughs) well, yes, there’s talk about it. There’s definite talk about bringing RPG’s to the Playstation 3.
PSX2.com: Are you a fan of the Suikoden series?
(YS) CM: He does like games like Suikoden, but he actually, personally, likes action RPG’s better things that aren’t so turn based.
PSX2.com: As an artist, how do you feel about the video game industry right now – how do you feel video games are being developed?
(YS) CM: Well, he’s done a great deal more than sound, he started as making sound as a composer, then he actually programmed the sound in, so once he started doing that, he became a programmer and then a lead programmer, and then once you become a main programmer he became a producer and director. He’s even been the company manager for a little while, so Ys is actually his return from a long hiatus, but in reality, he wanted to continue being a producer (laughs).
PSX2.com: (laughs) But, do you like where the industry is going?
(YS) CM: Personally, you know, it is a way of progressing, but he actually feels that Nintendo’s approach is actually, probably the most financially sound – will that succeed or not, is a different story, but the way they approach it probably makes the most sense. Having a great variety in a book store is good, just like having a great variety in a video store is good, but video games should also have a large variety, so it’s kind of going towards big titles being the only ones that are coming out and he doesn’t find that to be the right approach, something that might not be graphically superior but, good gameplay should be a choice on the shelf.
PSX2.com: Well, thank you so much. Thanks for making this really easy for me. It was an honor.
There you have it: Suikoden 5, S.L.A.I., Ys -- games that stand the test of integrity, gameplay and originality all under the roof of Konami. These games cater to no one, save for the artists creating them (and sometimes the companies those artists work for). I’d like to issue a heartfelt thank you to Konami for granting me the time to interview one of the great minds in video games today.
(YS) CM: The Playstation 2 version is polygonal – the PSP version will be similar to the PC version where it’s sprite based so, using sprites and the sort takes up a lot of memory and one of the things we found out is the PSP has some limitations to its 2D ability. So, it has a lot of power, but the memory is lacking.
PSX2.com: Are you reluctant to develop anything for the Playstation 3 -- do you think that Konami isn’t ready to handle an RPG for that power?
(YS) CM: … Well, I don’t know if we’re able to talk about it, but Suikoden 5 might be … well (laughs) well, yes, there’s talk about it. There’s definite talk about bringing RPG’s to the Playstation 3.
PSX2.com: Are you a fan of the Suikoden series?
(YS) CM: He does like games like Suikoden, but he actually, personally, likes action RPG’s better things that aren’t so turn based.
PSX2.com: As an artist, how do you feel about the video game industry right now – how do you feel video games are being developed?
(YS) CM: Well, he’s done a great deal more than sound, he started as making sound as a composer, then he actually programmed the sound in, so once he started doing that, he became a programmer and then a lead programmer, and then once you become a main programmer he became a producer and director. He’s even been the company manager for a little while, so Ys is actually his return from a long hiatus, but in reality, he wanted to continue being a producer (laughs).
PSX2.com: (laughs) But, do you like where the industry is going?
(YS) CM: Personally, you know, it is a way of progressing, but he actually feels that Nintendo’s approach is actually, probably the most financially sound – will that succeed or not, is a different story, but the way they approach it probably makes the most sense. Having a great variety in a book store is good, just like having a great variety in a video store is good, but video games should also have a large variety, so it’s kind of going towards big titles being the only ones that are coming out and he doesn’t find that to be the right approach, something that might not be graphically superior but, good gameplay should be a choice on the shelf.
PSX2.com: Well, thank you so much. Thanks for making this really easy for me. It was an honor.
There you have it: Suikoden 5, S.L.A.I., Ys -- games that stand the test of integrity, gameplay and originality all under the roof of Konami. These games cater to no one, save for the artists creating them (and sometimes the companies those artists work for). I’d like to issue a heartfelt thank you to Konami for granting me the time to interview one of the great minds in video games today.