Today I had the privilege of attending a GDC talk by Yoshio Sakamoto of Nintendo*, who is perhaps most famous for his work on the Metroid series. He divulged many of the secrets behind his history as a producer and gamemaker, including quite a few about the upcoming Metroid: Other M. The most interesting one? While developing the control scheme, there was one thing he was unwilling to budge on: he wanted Samus to "move along a rail".
Yep, that's right. His original vision was for Other M to be on-rails, and it would have been if it had not been for Team Ninja.
In disagreement about rails being the best way to go, they first suggested using the Nunchuk, but Sakamoto was very adamant about using the sideways Wiimote scheme. But then they proposed a system where Samus could move freely in a full 3D environment using the control pad. Sakamoto tested this scheme, said it "worked perfectly", and was finally swayed to change his mind.
What do you think, Metroid fans? Are you glad Team Ninja stepped in, or would you have rather seen Sakamoto's full vision come to fruition?
* a full summary of this talk is coming soon!
[UPDATE: To clarify, Sakamoto meant a side-scrolling rail game, a-la Klonoa.]
Contest:
8:00 PM on 03.11.2010
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Either way, from what I've heard about the current controls, I'm glad Team Ninja is on board. I, for one, like where Other M is going.
I love Metroid.
Somehow those two facts add up to I don't give a crap about this game.
BTW, I love Team Ninja not only for the gameplay change, but for making Samus hotter than she already was
They're good for a 5 minute 'look how fun the arcade used to be!', but other than that, it's a guided crappy way to tell a story that limits any moving. There's a reason why Capcom doesn't want to put RE on the wii anymore. (apparently RE4 w/ Wii controls didn't jive to them either!) - but really, real gamers like to play games, and it doesn't matter what games, so you're no more or less a real gamer than anyone here, down fanboy, down!
Also, I'm glad they didn't make it a railer. I'm sick of the wii dumbing down the gaming experience as is.
ummm...it is 2D is terms of gameplay not graphics. It just has dynamic angles from what I've heard, kinda like the pause screen in Smash Bros. And it terms to 3D a la prime when you point at the screen, but it's limited, as you can even move in that view
And that would be awful. A series that prides itself on exploration, and created one of the best 3D exploration games of all time, on rails...yep.
Nintendo took on Team Ninja because the team behind Metroid in Japan had little experience with big 3D projects. They know Metroid and they've mostly been making DS and GBA games for while, they even had input on the Prime games. They do good work, they just don't live in big-budget 3D development - this is why the collaborated with Team Ninja.
My only concern is really that they're gonna pull another Metroid Fusion on us again. I don't like it when plot undermines a game's core gameplay values.
Don't get me wrong, I love me some House of the Dead, but the Wii's software library is saturated by rail shooters.
(At least it wasn't going to be another edutainment/fitness game.
I can just imagine it: "Metroid Junior: Samus Teaches Typing".
If there were any dragons in it (or Ridley), I'd buy it.
This is just stuff that is revealed. I bet there are many games (and movies and books and etc.) that go through drastic pre-production revisions and we never hear about them. Let it go.
I might change it again. It's gotta look good with my banner though or my OCD might flair up.
Gotcha.
M'kay I gots a new B&W one. It almost looks like I got grayface'd. :P
What are we talking about again? Oh yeah, Metroid. Obligatory "She was better as a redhead," comment.
I would be interested to see how the on-rails would have worked, but to actually implement it in the final? Oh, HYNE NO!