Toshihiro Nagoshi Interview

This was something that I found a while back, but I want to repost it and leave my commentary.  Here is the interview with the man responsible for Super Monkey Ball, F-Zero, and in our case DAYTONA USA...

Bear in mind that this interview was in Dec. 2004.  Daytona 1 came out '94, Scud Race came out  '96, Daytona 2 came out '98, F-Zero AX came out in '03 just to remind you...:

http://www.the-nextlevel.com/feature/interview-toshiro-nagoshi/

Very sexy man there.

I wanted to point out a few questions on the last page.  Wildly interesting from my point of view.

Interviewer: You started out at AM2. How has that influenced you?

Nagoshi: The graphics then in the games they were making when I was working there were very high-tech and innovative. I also liked the approach in communications amongst the staff in planning the games and these designs.

See, I really like AM2 for this reason.  AM2 is associated with Yu Suzuki and Amusement Vision with Nagoshi, but despite the fact these games were published by Nagoshi, AM2 had a hand in them which explains why they just blow my mind.  I always credit AM2, they're a top-notch company.  Also explains why I thought the Dreamcast version of Daytona USA was a bit lackluster (no AM2 support).

Interviewer: We’ve noticed tracks from your games (Scud Race, Daytona 2) will be appearing in Outrun 2. How did you go about working with AM2 and Sumo Digital for this? I take it you and the folks from AM2 still get along very well?

Nagoshi: I haven’t done anything for Outrun 2 at all, no. AM2’s in the same building here, though, so of course the staff of both teams still interact quite often.

Yes, I think that the OR2 bonus courses are a huge bonus for us Daytona 2 and Scud Race fans.  Nice to know that someone out there cares even just a little to go out of their way to include the tracks.  It makes me believe that the source code for these games is still intact which is damn good news.

Interviewer: Do you think we’ll ever see any sort of straight ports of those titles? Racing fans have been clamoring for them for a while now.

Nagoshi: Hmmm, I run quite a tight schedule here... [laughs] but our staff has talked about it before. A few of our younger staff members at Sega have expressed interest in taking them on themselves, even.

This quote just pissed me off.  Laughing it up, come on!!!  It's nice to know that the staff brought up these games but it's six years later and I haven't seen much of anything.  If individuals in the office can make the game themselves that would be great, but I don't know how much sway they have in deciding what games get made.

Interviewer: Recently footage of the original Dreamcast Scud Race tech demo surfaced on the internet. Were there any plans for a full release of the game?

Nagoshi: No, just a demo. A lot of people really wanted it, but... We didn’t because...huh, I really don’t know why. [laughs]

Once again, he laughs it off.  Is that his best reaction?  That's your baby, your creation, why do you not care?

Interviewer: Speaking of which, any chance of a new Daytona anytime in the near future?

Nagoshi: We don’t have any public plans at the moment. But right now, driving games like Need for Speed and Burnout are big in the US, so we’ve had thoughts about a Daytona 3.

Ugh, freakin piece of garbage (keepin it PG) Burnout and Need for Speed.  Putting a plastic bag over the head of racing gamers everywhere.  I'm surprised that he gave a new Daytona a slight thought, but once again, it never came to fruition.  Then again, I don't see games like Burnout giving people "Daytona fuel" because I see Burnout as the exact opposite of what Daytona stands for.  You can either keep the car on the road or off the cliff and Burnout is driving us off the cliff.

I'm sitting here pounding my fist on my desk over and over again screaming for a new GOOD Daytona game/sequel/etc. but the man just laughs and stares at the wall.  Does he take any pride in making top-notch high-quality games?  Strange since I'm pretty sure lots of you regarded him with hero or deity-like status.

Question: Do we really need him to make a good racing game?  Look at AM2 who just produced OutRun 2 with no real help from Nagoshi after all.  We're goin' off-roading here folks, if we have to get another Daytona game, then we may have to do it without Nagoshi or even the Daytona trademark.

I know that Nagoshi was responsible for F-Zero which was a good game.  However, I have a few burning issues with that game.  First, snaking.  Second, Captain Falcon/Chuck Norris jokes, I just don't like the man.  Third, the fact that Nagoshi would put more effort into a racing series that originally belonged to another company instead of his own flesh and blood is just embarrassing.

I really don't know all the ins and outs of what goes on at Sega HQ everyday but seeing Nagoshi promoting his Super Monkey Balls and going to tanning salons, I don't know...the guy hasn't inspired me with much confidence.  I'm torn here.