Intervista di Famitsu a Miyazaki
(--Finally, it has been launched. How does it feel right now?)
(Miyazaki: Of course, it feels like I achieved something since it's the fruit of the long development. However, if you ask how I feel, I am very much excited. (lol) It isn't just limited to Dark souls 3, but the term between the game became golden and the game being released is the worst [moment].)
(--Where would you say that this game stands among the series?)
(Miyazaki: I would say it is a huge chapter in Dark souls series. It can be a huge chapter of "Linking the Flame" since the first Dark Souls; Recently, We can also say it is the point where we start on a new title that is not a part of Dark Souls Saga)
(--On Weekly Famitsu 2015/7/5 issue's interview, you've said "The development of Alpha version has been secured", Did you face any kind of problems since DS3's development was overlaping with Bloodborne's?)
(Miyazaki: Of course, we were very busy. But including Okano (Yuu) and Tanimura (Yui), staff members were doing their best at their post, so I was able to focus on directing where needed. Also, I was able to find the merit in overlapping developments. I felt that [by working on both booldborne and DS3 at the same time] each development mutually affecting the other provided a good motivation. As a game developer, that was a great learning experience.)
(--How did you set the balance to satisfy both original series fan and those who entered to soulsborne community from From Soft's new IP, Bloodborne?)
(Miyazaki: Hm. Not limited to DS3, I haven't really gave a deep thought regarding that. To be honest, I'm not good at developing a game while considering its target audiences. I haven't really thought through, but I would say that [the target audiences] would be "the people who love games" and "the people who loves something like games". However, I am paying special attention to [audiences of] Dark souls 2 and Bloodborne recently. The reason is that, when players who played both DS2 and BB plays DS3, I wanted to avoid making them say "I was so stressed out even before figuring out the game's concept."
(--Were there any changes to the game after the network test?)
(Miyazaki: Of course, there are some changes. However, counter-examples to that statement would be the battle system and the basic game mechanics that are already chosen for the main game.)
(--Not only the weapon art is a weapon gimmick, but also it deepens the RPG aspect of the game.)
(Miyazaki: It is. As for weapon arts, it has two characteristics: expanding the range of strategies and RPG aspects of a weapon, and adding more to how you wield that weapon. The concept of weapon arts also frees users from thinking that a weapon's unique moveset is limited to just "attacking". We enjoyed making them. I hope players would enjoy them too. If I add on, weapon arts isn't in a fixed one-to-one relationship with weapons categories. In each weapons category, there may be a range of basic weapon arts and off-categorical weapon arts given to a weapon. And also a unique weapon arts could be on a weapon. So you enjoy choosing and finding out which weapon has what kind of weapon arts.)
(--Looking at how you can acquire a variety of weapons from the start, is that so [players] can enjoy a variety of role playing?)
(Miyazaki: Yes. There are more than 200 weapons in DS3. Especially since players can find a bunch of weapons at the beginning, we were hoping that players would find the weapon they like early on by experimenting on them.
(Speaking of experimenting, I was shocked by the fact that you can change the character's appearance in the middle of the game.)
(Miyazaki: Speaking of remaking your character appearance, actually, this was brought up even before DS3. There were problems regarding it before that we had to postpone the development, but it feels like it finally became real. I can't tell you the exact detail, but we made a special NPC fitting for that function.
(--We will find out who that is when we actually play. Surely we would be satisfied with that statement (lol))
(Dark souls 3 has very special double sidedness)
(--It seems that the map is designed uniquely, giving a great enjoyment for exploring......)
(M: Because it is the first Dark Souls series only for PS4 and X1, the scale of a map can be massive.)
(--I was surprised by the fact that places, where I asked myself "can we go here?", were actually reachable.)
(M: The fact that I, myself, enjoy exploring around and this weird habit of mine making multidimensional/interconnected map has to do with it. Also, the map's much brighter than before. Among the dull colors, there are some places stands out. I hope players enjoy that too.)
(--It's like it's so dazzling even though I am looking at a very dull overall area.)
(M: Including the fact that the graphic designer, who has always been working with us, has worked hard on it, I hope that there are places that gives a lingering impression to players)
(--Not only some places giving a lingering impression, but also it felt like the lore was much easier to understand this time around than before, in a good way.)
(M: At least, compared to other games i worked on before(lol), I believe it is a bit easier to understand. The lore in DS3 is at the end result of the lore collected from DS1 to DS2, so we try to make as straight as possible. However, on the other hand, the accumulated lore from DS1 and DS2 was a bit sloppy, and some were hidden under the shadows and never revealed. I hope players enjoy finding [lore bits] and speculating on them.
(-- (lol))
(M: DS3 has a very special double-sidedness to it. And for that, because I am the director, I cannot deny that overlapping developments of DS3 and BB has something to do with it.
(--Both enemy and NPCs has a unique characteristics to them. Especially, bosses left a great impression on me.)
(M: Sure. Boss battles in DS3 were given everything our team had. I hope players enjoy them. Multiphase elements were taken into the boss battle so that they don't feel dull as much. It seems that giving a good affect to overall boss designs, as a director's perspective. Players will agree with me when they face some of the bosses.)
(Hope they avoid spoilers and strategy guides as much as possible before they try out.)
(M: Not that I definitely want them to, but I think that is one way to enjoy it.)
(The main character is a very unique being that stands at the end of the age of the fire.)
(--Is there a reason why there is no Hollow form in DS3?)
(M: This was continuously brought up since the first Dark Souls. Players spent their times to customize the character, but were sad that their character stayed in hollow form for the most of the time. That's why DS3 doesn't have hollow form after death. And the reason our main character is called "unkindled/ashen one" is because he/she is a special being appeared during the end of the age of the fire. However, there is a way to become hollowed, and we are giving a special meaning to it. There might be a player who says "At last, Hollowed", and that would be fulfilling my long-cherished wish.(lol))
(Is the appearance of Andre, the blacksmith, a result from finishing a chapter of the history?)
(M: Um. Rather, Andre is there for a minor amusement. Actually, since the first Dark souls, we were developing him as a part of "the Clan of Andre, the blacksmith". And we thought all those Andre looking corpses with embers were exact look-a-likes, and this time, it is the same idea. However, the world in DS3 is an accumulated continuation of DS1 and DS2 that characters from previous two games returned in different forms or with added background story. It sounds weird, but like "DS3's the next in the series, so there is a way to have them back like this". Of course, we didn't make it so that if you didn't play DS1 or DS2 then you won't understand. So, for those of you playing DS3 as the first in the series, please rest assured.)
[Note: btw, there is this tradition in Japanese blacksmiths that the name of the very first blacksmith who made his name to the high lord would be given a new name or pertain his name and that name would be passed down to his descendants. So for an imaginary example, let's say "Canora Hito" was the first blacksmith who made the legendary sword "babbaribaba" which was the greatest sword of the history of Japan. Then he is recognized by the high lord who wielded. So from then and until now, that "Canora Hito" name is given to the first Canora Hito's 24th descendant who's still making the sword the way the first Canora Hito made back in the day. And Japanese would call their house "the Clan of Canora Hito." Well, I thought it would be interesting to put this as a side note...]
(As a fan, it's like me grinning without knowing.)
(M: That may be. In any forms of small form of reminding would be grateful.)
(Did you purposely make the fire keeper cute? (lol))
(M: Uuummmm. I am not sure. She might be tired of waiting. (lol) Well, but this firekeeper is a bit different than before and she became my favorite. But there are lots of NPCs I like beside her, So I hope players also like other NPCs,too.
(I would like to see a lot of role playing in multiplayer mode)
(--Regarding Online mode, were there any changes during Network Testing?)
Intervista di Famitsu a Miyazaki
(M: As for changes made from network testing, the maximum number of multiplayers is being adjusted as we speak. For the final product version, the maximum of six multiplayer wouldn't change, but it is basically set to be four. Just like last two games, the ratio for 4 player is one host, two co-ops, and one invader. And using 'dried finger' will break this basic setting of four players, and become maximum of six multiplayers in a session. Also, as Bloodborne, password matching is applied here. For password matching, the soul level won't be considered. When the difference in Soul level between players is great, the strength of the players will be adjusted.)
(--What is the reason for the return of SL matching?)
(M: There are many reasons. First, the SL matching is much simpler and easier to understand. Next, in case of Soul Memory, once a player lost a bunch of souls, then there is no way of returning and has to face difficulty later in progress. That's why we decided to not to use SM. Also, speaking of simplicity, we are also adjusting covenant based matchmaking to be much simpler. Basic Co-op or invasion leads to change in status of a character, and covenants will be helping with such.)
(--With weapon arts added to the mix, a lot of different playing style might arise.)
(M: I would love it if that happens. If I may repeat myself, the purpose of weapon arts is to expand the role playing aspect.
(--Like you said several times, it seems like it would be an unique experience)
(M. It may be so. Exploring larger maps, expanded roleplaying and strategic aspect by weapon arts, and the unique apocalyptic mood and the loneliness you feel in it. And last, enjoying the double sided-ness of the world and lore. While you are enjoying these, they are going to mix together and provide you different experience and new things discovered as you play. So please, don't let the numerous obstacles and countless deaths hollow you but rather enjoy them till the end.)
----interview post on Famitsu ended here----
