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Go With the fl0w: Jenova Chen on Console Independence
JC: The deal we had was earned through over a dozen pitches, with hundreds of hours of networking and negotiations. Our move towards the commercial field is to further push the two directions I pointed out in the previous question, having more people play and helping them have a much clearer picture of what the future of video games would be and hopefully, through our works, influence other game makers too. The result of Sony as publisher and the PS3 as platform is not taken for granted by us. We really appreciate the trust Sony gave us and the spirit of taking risks and supporting experimental games to push our industry forward. GS: How has the process been re-developing and porting flOw to the PS3? Have you even been hands-on with this at all? JC: Due to my contract with EA Maxis, I am not involved in the remake of the PS3 version.
GS: Generally, what do you think of the PS3? JC: While the Wii seems to be totally winning, it has a very different market compared to the PS3's. I consider the Wii a family console that brings many new social experiences. The PS3 is more of a Hi-Fi geek console with technology that allows designers to create much deeper, emotional experiences. GS: flOw has been compared to Geometry Wars -- not necessarily its game play but speculation that flOw could do for the PS3's PlayStation Network what Geometry Wars did for the Xbox 360's Xbox Live Arcade. What are your thoughts about this? And have you played Geometry Wars? JC: Yes, I have played Geometry Wars. I really enjoyed it. And what it has achieved on Xbox Live Arcade is amazing and encouraging. It's extremely flattering that people would even consider comparing flOw PS3 to Geometry Wars. However, flOw is focused on delivering an experience gamers have never played before. It is a mesmerizing non-interrupted experience, which is very different from the "try-and-die" cycles in arcade games like Tetris and Geometry Wars. flOw is an experiment; it's a totally different type of game play. We hope that many different types of players will enjoy it, but we won't know for sure until it's released. GS: Are you a frequent/avid game player yourself? What have you been playing lately? What are your all-time favorites? JC: I still play more than three hours of video games every day, even during the busiest periods in my life. Most games I play these days are multiplayer games. I am still playing World of Warcraft. Recently, I also played Company of Heroes, Final Fantasy XII, Tekken 5 (PSP), Wii Sports and Zelda (Wii). My favorite all-time games are Final Fantasy VII, Shadow of the Colossus, Katamari Damacy and Blizzard's Starcraft, Warcraft and Diablo franchises. GS: What kind of games does your company hope to produce? Are you planning to develop downloadable games for the Xbox 360 or Wii? JC: As I mentioned, games that evoke different and deeper emotions, which allow people to enjoy them in their own ways. Regarding their scope, we prefer making games with small but passionate teams in a development cycle that is under one year. Downloadable games are a great fit. Currently, we are in a three-game deal with Sony. Beyond that, there is really nothing to let us not think about possibilities on other consoles GS: Do you have other game ideas in the works? Can you reveal some details about them? JC: There are many ideas I collected while I was still in school. We are definitely not short of them. But most of them are like "huh?" so I won't tell you anything now. GS: Do you have other plans for flOw -- either a sequel, more features, or expanding upon its design concept for another game? JC: The design methodology in the flOw thesis will definitely be used for our new games. Regarding sequels, nothing's on paper yet. GS: Your new company is certainly in an enviable position, having its first game featured on a next-generation game console. I wonder, has this affected the way you look upon game development, and in the kind of other games you plan to make? JC: The next gen brings us many challenges, not only with new technology we have to learn, but also content with new depth. How we generate deep content with a small scope is the challenge for us. I think what David Jaffe has mentioned before about online downloadable games fits us very well: While [big] budget games are like operas, we are trying to create pop songs that are fresh and deep. |
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