Comments on: Chabudai Gaeshi http://mssv.net/2008/02/13/chabudai-gaeshi/ Just another WordPress weblog Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:42:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Miyamoto ’stressed’ by Wii Fit | Your Game Blog http://mssv.net/2008/02/13/chabudai-gaeshi/comment-page-1/#comment-85550 Miyamoto ’stressed’ by Wii Fit | Your Game Blog Sat, 24 May 2008 13:30:07 +0000 http://mssv.net/2008/02/13/chabudai-gaeshi/#comment-85550 [...] may have been some genuine upending of tea tables during the making of Wii Fit, as opposed to the metaphorical kind that Shiggy [...] [...] may have been some genuine upending of tea tables during the making of Wii Fit, as opposed to the metaphorical kind that Shiggy [...]

]]> By: Gwiik! NewsChannel http://mssv.net/2008/02/13/chabudai-gaeshi/comment-page-1/#comment-85440 Gwiik! NewsChannel Sat, 24 May 2008 04:06:10 +0000 http://mssv.net/2008/02/13/chabudai-gaeshi/#comment-85440 [...] may have been some genuine upending of tea tables during the making of Wii Fit, as opposed to the metaphorical kind that Shiggy prefers.Chatting to the publication to promote the game, Miyamoto confessed that the he [...] [...] may have been some genuine upending of tea tables during the making of Wii Fit, as opposed to the metaphorical kind that Shiggy prefers.Chatting to the publication to promote the game, Miyamoto confessed that the he [...]

]]> By: WiiZeels.com » Blog Archive » Miyamoto ’stressed’ by Wii Fit http://mssv.net/2008/02/13/chabudai-gaeshi/comment-page-1/#comment-85434 WiiZeels.com » Blog Archive » Miyamoto ’stressed’ by Wii Fit Sat, 24 May 2008 03:31:49 +0000 http://mssv.net/2008/02/13/chabudai-gaeshi/#comment-85434 [...] may have been some genuine upending of tea tables during the making of Wii Fit, as opposed to the metaphorical kind that Shiggy [...] [...] may have been some genuine upending of tea tables during the making of Wii Fit, as opposed to the metaphorical kind that Shiggy [...]

]]> By: Adrian Hon http://mssv.net/2008/02/13/chabudai-gaeshi/comment-page-1/#comment-64028 Adrian Hon Tue, 04 Mar 2008 22:39:36 +0000 http://mssv.net/2008/02/13/chabudai-gaeshi/#comment-64028 TS: That's a very interesting point. I can absolutely see how this would work, and I think you're right in the way that it empowers the actor. In fact, it sounds like it works precisely because the directors gives *zero* feedback - anything else would dilute the process. Like you say, it does take time, something which Nintendo have plenty of, but I wonder how it might be applied in other areas. Toby: Yep, we use Agile at STS now. I like it a lot, for the reasons you describe, and for another couple of reasons. Firstly, it forces me to describe features in actual spoken words to the tech team, which pretty much results in zero misunderstandings (unlike a spec doc). Yes, this can take some time, but it's definitely worth it. Secondly, it allows me to keep track of what's going on! I love being able to see the burndown chart and the various work 'stories' being completed over time. TS: That’s a very interesting point. I can absolutely see how this would work, and I think you’re right in the way that it empowers the actor. In fact, it sounds like it works precisely because the directors gives *zero* feedback – anything else would dilute the process. Like you say, it does take time, something which Nintendo have plenty of, but I wonder how it might be applied in other areas.

Toby: Yep, we use Agile at STS now. I like it a lot, for the reasons you describe, and for another couple of reasons. Firstly, it forces me to describe features in actual spoken words to the tech team, which pretty much results in zero misunderstandings (unlike a spec doc). Yes, this can take some time, but it’s definitely worth it.

Secondly, it allows me to keep track of what’s going on! I love being able to see the burndown chart and the various work ’stories’ being completed over time.

]]> By: Toby Moore http://mssv.net/2008/02/13/chabudai-gaeshi/comment-page-1/#comment-58867 Toby Moore Sun, 17 Feb 2008 11:32:25 +0000 http://mssv.net/2008/02/13/chabudai-gaeshi/#comment-58867 Hey Adrian, interesting post! It reminded me of the story of how Hiroshi Yamaushi turned down a bid from Microsoft : http://www.theinquirer.net/en/inquirer/news/2005/01/06/how-nintendo-boss-silenced-steve-ballmer As you probably know there's a fairly big movement towards Agile development methodologies in the game industry at the moment. I wasn't at GDC, but there are slides and discussions over at http://www.agilegamedevelopment.com/blog.html It seems Agile methodologies are a nice middle ground between rigid formality and utter chaos, and they embrace change throughout the process as well as giving the business enough material to plan and budget with, which ultimately leads the product to evolve as organically as possible :) Hey Adrian, interesting post! It reminded me of the story of how Hiroshi Yamaushi turned down a bid from Microsoft : http://www.theinquirer.net/en/inquirer/news/2005/01/06/how-nintendo-boss-silenced-steve-ballmer

As you probably know there’s a fairly big movement towards Agile development methodologies in the game industry at the moment. I wasn’t at GDC, but there are slides and discussions over at http://www.agilegamedevelopment.com/blog.html

It seems Agile methodologies are a nice middle ground between rigid formality and utter chaos, and they embrace change throughout the process as well as giving the business enough material to plan and budget with, which ultimately leads the product to evolve as organically as possible :)

]]> By: TS http://mssv.net/2008/02/13/chabudai-gaeshi/comment-page-1/#comment-57654 TS Wed, 13 Feb 2008 13:16:00 +0000 http://mssv.net/2008/02/13/chabudai-gaeshi/#comment-57654 I heard a story once about how Stanislavski directed actors late in his career. The actors start rehearsing, say 'Hamlet', with the first line 'Who's there?' And Stanislavski says 'no, that's not it'. And the actors do it again. And again 'no, that's not it'. And again; 'no, that's not it'. Until finally 'yes, that's it' and they move on to the next beat. Apparently, it took them two months to get through the first act. But then Russian theatres have always had long rehearsal processes. Counter-intuitively, there can be something curiously empowering about this process for the actor. It leaves them completely free to work through in their own way to discover what works and what doesn't. It doesn't impose a need for the director to 'understand' the actor's process and then to explain things to them possibly quite badly. It keeps the eye of the director and the impulses of the actor firmly in the present, on what is happening here and now, not allowing the 'how will I talk about this' anxiety to creep in. it allows things to happen out of the box, because the 'box' of the actor's (imperfect) understanding of what the director (imperfectly thinks s/he) wants is never constructed. The best and most creative moments often happen straight after something completely rubbish, or when you're starting to get bored, anyway. Sure, it doesn't work for everyone, nor does every rehearsal situation. And of course the live rehearsal process, where it costs nothing but time to go at it again and again instantly, is rather different from the process of designing a piece of expensive game hardware. But they are both creative process, and if you're in a position to be able to strip practical considerations away from the action-response unit that is the heart of that, then, well... there's something in this. I heard a story once about how Stanislavski directed actors late in his career. The actors start rehearsing, say ‘Hamlet’, with the first line ‘Who’s there?’ And Stanislavski says ‘no, that’s not it’. And the actors do it again. And again ‘no, that’s not it’. And again; ‘no, that’s not it’. Until finally ‘yes, that’s it’ and they move on to the next beat. Apparently, it took them two months to get through the first act. But then Russian theatres have always had long rehearsal processes.

Counter-intuitively, there can be something curiously empowering about this process for the actor. It leaves them completely free to work through in their own way to discover what works and what doesn’t. It doesn’t impose a need for the director to ‘understand’ the actor’s process and then to explain things to them possibly quite badly. It keeps the eye of the director and the impulses of the actor firmly in the present, on what is happening here and now, not allowing the ‘how will I talk about this’ anxiety to creep in. it allows things to happen out of the box, because the ‘box’ of the actor’s (imperfect) understanding of what the director (imperfectly thinks s/he) wants is never constructed. The best and most creative moments often happen straight after something completely rubbish, or when you’re starting to get bored, anyway.

Sure, it doesn’t work for everyone, nor does every rehearsal situation. And of course the live rehearsal process, where it costs nothing but time to go at it again and again instantly, is rather different from the process of designing a piece of expensive game hardware. But they are both creative process, and if you’re in a position to be able to strip practical considerations away from the action-response unit that is the heart of that, then, well… there’s something in this.

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