Interview with IlluminationLASER creator

[sharp]

Well, here it is. Huge thanks to TERRA. He was selective with answering, he seemed to be more interested in talking about his game.



2. Can you tell the people when your x68k introduction began? How were you introduced? How long did you use the x68k?

A: It was 1994 that I obtained an x68000 At a considerably late time on the timeline of x68000. x68000 was already losing commercial value then, therefore the used x68000 goods of an old generation became the price that even I could buy somehow. I bought a new model on the way, but used x68000 until 2000.

2. Oh, it is beautiful!
O.K.
What was it in 1,994 years like in those days?
Were you familiar with takeru machine?

A: I have used takeru several times.
Because you were able to buy ツクールシリーズ of MSX only in takeru, I purchased these.
It is Yoshida Komuten or Dante.
I have not purchased software of X68000.

3. Can you tell the people of experiences accomplished through x68000? Any crazy stories?

A: people who used x68000 each had a significant and unique purpose, and I do not know all of them back then. Therefore I want to avoid mentioning the scene as a generalization.

As far as my purpose in game development goes?
x68000 was the choice that was the best for a home PC that was able to make the game with 2d action characteristics and details that were top of the line in those days. That is why it was it was an attractive model for the person who wanted to create a game by its self, particularly the person who wanted to become professional.
However, the mainstream of the game was gradually moving towards 3d gaming and the charm of x68000 as the PC for making home game development possible gradually decreased when I made a 3d game, because x68000 was not a good choice at that time.
It was such an experience that made x68000 2d game lose charm at the time when mainstream moved towards 3d. That I experienced.

3. There was possibility of a right large majority.
Do you like designs of 3d or 2d?
Truly, in spite of the mainstream, your 2d is splendid!
Do you think that you make a game of more 2d for x68k? The people love them!

A: I think that I am divided which of 2D and 3D adapts to the game by a style and the aim of the game more.
Therefore I think that I should choose the style along the plan.
But I think that it is hard to make a 3D game in X68000.

5. What is your favorite type of music? Do you like 80s music?

A: I hear almost none of the music in life.
I only hear BGM when I play a game.
I like such a music and remember it well.

5. What kind of specific favorite BGM do you have in? Or it is top 3?

A: BGM of an interesting game is degree remembering well.
BGM of Ultima IV was good. Towns,Wanderer,Shrine was particularly good, but likes other music, too.

9. Do you play video games in your spare time?

A: I have been separated from games by *withheld information*. If *other withheld information* appears, I want to begin a game again.

10. What do you think the future of gaming is?
Personally, I dislike an "all in one" console personally.
How do you feel about modern gaming?

A: I know nothing at all about the newest generation of console now. I do not say I dislike it, only by the reason that there is not a game I am interested in for them at the moment.
I played the xbox360 in previous generation the same way, but did not the play a ps3 or wii at all. I am interested in OculusRIFT.

10. So do you imagine the future in OculusRift?

A: I am worried how long a burden depends on the eyes of the player.

11. What kind of genre in video games is your favorite?

A: It is a strategy game.

11. Beautiful! Do you have a favorite?

A: A lot of titles which I played are the one which I cannot really enumerate which there Is.
Because I cannot often arrive in RTS, there are many turn-based things.

12. what was the first game you ever played?
What environment was it?

A: It is Championship Lode Runner for Nintendo.

13. Will you explain your experience related with x68000? It does not seem to be limited as far as aesthetic, creativity and design go.

A: X68000 was equipped with hardware Sprite. Therefore it was not necessary to make a character indication program when I made 2D game. This was a big advantage of X68000.
On the other hand, there was the limit of the hardware in X68000. There was the case which Sprite of was still chipped off even if I used スプライトダブラ.
From the limitation of the processor, I did not use the floating point number and used the fixed point number.
In addition, I had to suppress multiplication and the use of the division that were not replaced with a bit shift to a minimum.


14. What made you decide to make IlluminationLASER an STG?

A: 2DSTG was the one of the low game genres of the production degree of difficulty and was able to complete an outline immediately.
So I made 2DSTG.


15. Was there arcade stg which helped suggest illuminationLASER system?

A: As for the laser which turned, the crystal was come up with the idea of from Darius lateral biography by グラディウス II and グラディウス lateral biography.


16. Was IlluminationLASER first STG which you made?

A: It is with a thing first for a finished game and to date, the only thing.


18. What was your inspiration of the illuminationLASER art design? Most games are based on a typical theme.
This game seems to come from another world! Were you able to explain it you designed the thing, and how it was generated?
You were able to get inspiration from anything specific or was it just natural?

A: An enemy character was constructed according to the same rule, and I was controlled.
Then, for the program of the individual enemy character, I can apply common processing.
Anyway, the program takes labor for the follow of the exception handling. I did not do an exception handling if possible by constituting an enemy character not to be off a common rule and finished it.

This policy had a good effect, but had a bad effect.
Development becomes monotonous by all means. In other words the character of the same appearance, the stage which there is not of the substitute brilliancy, the attack of the same pattern continue even if I advance to wherever. Too long.
I think that I should have narrowed the length of the stage in half of all degree.


19. Do you explain a past of illuminationLASER for anyone? How did it begin? Please develop?
20. What was used to make illuminationLASER?
21. How long did that of schedule come to like illuminationLASER complete at first? Will you explain a process?

A: It was a job shortage in those days. It was necessary to show demo software to show the technique that the person had to the company so that an inexperienced person got a job of the game development. This software was a thing of that purpose.
It took two years for me by completion for development using X68030.


26. Are you proud of game においてをどんな level most?

A: I like four BGM in particular. Therefore four win through up to an impression.
But four bosses were not good.


27. To you, is there a favorite boss?

A: Seven bosses took time very much to make it. I borrowed a track-and-field book in a library and measured the angle of the mosaic of the form of the contestant every part and made animation data.
Because it was serious, I remember it well. I think that it is two that bosses grow well.


28. How did it act with a grand I.C.KaZe?
29. It must be big honor to have his music for your game!
And to hear best - visually!

A: It was really splendid for this game to have been able to prepare BGM into I.C.KaZe.

I approve of the thought that most of the value of STG is decided on in BGM.
And this game had a fault at the time of the first design as spoke earlier.
In other words it means that development is easy to become monotonous.
Nonetheless this game thinks of me if a favorable reception was got by players when after all BGM contributes to it.
For example, it is hardly different even if I compare the screenshot of one and four.
However, BGM is totally different. In other words the variety of this game greatly depends on BGM.
I still thank I.C.KaZe.

30. I think that same day that it was released on NFG, you released IlluminationLASER on a x68kholiday? How was it? It must have been very splendid!

A: It was the day that was hot like midsummer on that day. There was the meeting place close to the place where there was the shop where I bought X68000 for 20 years ago.
I carried same X68000, and I went ahead through the way where I went to when I took X68000 home with me adversely and went to the meeting place.

30. Was the receptions of your beautiful game good at a meeting place? After having been very long, the people must have been very fun!

A: There were many opinions to be difficult. I think that it is a real difficult game.

32. Do you intend to release illuminationLASER2 for x68k?
If you will do so it, I will like it! Please make most more!
(please smile!)

A: It is very difficult for the moment.
I did not know till when it worked either, and anyway X68000 failed one during this work!


36. Thank you, Terra,

A: Likewise, thank you!



37. What promoted decision to release this?
What was the reason of this release to gajin?

A: Because you gave an inquiry to me, as for me, I started restoration.


38. Why was your big game made a secret during approximately ten years?

A: Because nobody minded it, I think that, as a result, it became so.




Thank you once again Terra

[eidis]

 Thank you Sharp for the fantastic interview !

Let's help Mr.Terra repair his X68000. It looks like the capacitors are at it again

Keep the scene alive !
Eidis

[sharp]

 

This game was done in C...

actually, I have already been speaking with Terra about another x68k game in the future, and it seemed really hopeful. At the same time, it requires alot. It is like making a legitimate arcade game. I cant say anything for sure, but anything is possible. I guess we will have to see.

[Opethian]

awesome interview! thanks for the time.

[sharp]

I just noticed that his answer mentions the "laser that turned" but does not seem to reference a game? (laughs)
Not sure what happened there, if it was missing to begin with, or if it got omitted somehow accidentally through translation?

I am not 100% sure... but I think the laser is based on RayForce or レイフォース from 1994. 
I really dont want to bother Terra about such matters, but I.C.KaZe mentioned Ray Force a week or 2 before IlluminationLASERs release. I doubt it was a coincidence.

Sorry for that...

Here is what I.C.KaZe said

"After ray force, the lock-on laser is longed-for behavior of all shooting programmers."