CN: One thing I want to ask about, and this is kind of... I remember way back when, I might have the timing wrong. It was either right at the end of when you were at Sega, or maybe the beginning of Q. Some time in there. There was a comment about that you'd like to make a more serious game, like an RPG next, or something like that. Have you given that kind of game more thought, the kind of more traditional game? Or are you still interested in making more experimental games?

TM: I still have the foundation here to create that kind of genre. But if I had a chance to make an RPG or an adventure, or whatever, I would put some new elements in it. So if I had the inspiration, yeah, I would start.

CN: I think those genres could use new elements, too. They could use some inspiration.

BS: That last project that you were finishing up at the end of the Sega time, [Q staffer] Reo Yonaga mentioned that someday you might revisit that. Have you thought about that recently?

TM: Reo said?

BS: He said that you might go back to this concept that you are all making, at the end of... right before the Sega thing fell apart, it was an adventure game starring a girl. Have you thought about going back to that yet?

TM: Yeah. All the time. At the time, five or six years ago, I headed a big division [at Sega]. But the platform power was low at the time. But now, yeah. It's getting easier.

BS: Can you explain more about the concept of what it was at the time?

TM: I tried to combine drama story challenges into the game. Very simple. I think many games are doing that. But I think the challenge... it was just an idea. The most challenging part was an idea. It's really difficult to explain.

BS: It seems to be a very exciting idea for the both of you, when I talked to you separately about it. So I've been very curious to know what it is that's so compelling about this idea that makes you continually revisit the concept. There must be some feeling that it has that makes you want to bring it back.

TM: It's hard to answer the question.

BS: I'm wondering what is so appealing about this idea. I know it's hard to explain, but maybe you can try.

TM: I think most dramatic and thematic games exist, and it's really hard. This is for an example: it's really hard to cry if you play a game. You can cry when you watch movies. I have, and everyone has that kind of experience. This is an emotional movement, very strong. But we can't cry when we play a game. This is a different catharsis. This is a physical reason. This is like a basic instinct. I think the game is designed as an experience. It's designed as a catharsis experience.

You have some accomplishments all the time, but accomplishment is a very strong keyword. It's a very strong factor of the game. I think in our 40 year history, we may [continually] redesign this, maybe. But in the last five years, you can get the resolution. This kind of resolution makes you have a very effective emotional possibility, with music, effects, hi-def movie effects. I think there can be growing, growing, and growing. There's some games coming in that class.

BS: Some games are certainly trying for more emotional depth. How do you think that you could take it to the next step? How do you think that you could make people actually feel deeper things?

TM: It's really hard to tell. I have to prove something.