The Bouncer Interview - IGN (original) (raw)

Square's munch-talked about fighting game, The Bouncer, for PlayStation 2, has finally arrived in retail stores across the country. After playing the game several times through, we here at IGNPS2 had questions about how decisions were made about the game's lighting, character development, camera angles, and more. Luckily, we were able to speak with the game's director, Takashi Tokita, who not only worked on the game from the ground up, but did a little research in bars to get a feel and erm, perform proper research for the game.

IGNPS2: What was the original idea behind The Bouncer?

Takashi Tokita: The game is a synthesis of ideas from the development staff, but as a concept, it is a "playable action movie." Having three main characters lets you see the story from the perspective of your favorite one.

IGNPS2: Do you feel that you achieved what you set out to do with The Bouncer?

Takashi: I tend to focus on concept, so in that sense, I was able to achieve what I had originally set out to do.

IGNPS2: Why?

Takashi: I believe I was able to achieve my goal by continually maintaining the concept without being affected by new hardware research/development, detailed animation sequences, and the creation of other detailed scenes.

IGNPS2: What do you think of the American voice acting compared to the Japanese voice acting?

Takashi: Since we were considering a U.S. release from the beginning of the project, we started out with English voiceovers only. Japanese voiceovers were added later to provide more of a DVD quality to the game. Due to my acting experience and my two-year stay in LA for the Parasite Eve production, the English voice recording seemed to flow smoothly without too many problems. The fact that the recording director was also an actor proved to be a helpful asset as well.

In Japan, the method of recording voices to fit the picture is considered mainstream, but for The Bouncer, we recorded the voices first and then created the (facial) animation to fit the voices. This method seemed to improve the quality of the voice acting.

IGNPS2: The graphic special effects in The Bouncer are quite amazing. How did you create the glossy filter and what did you try to achieve with it?

Takashi: No matter how many polygons you use or how realistic the textures are, without filters and lighting, CG pictures will be of a quality lower than that of a figurine.

In order to create atmosphere, we spent much time on filters and lighting. We adjusted each scene in detail with an editor that conducted parameter adjustments on the actual hardware.

IGNPS2: What kinds of influences did you draw upon when you created the unusual and beautiful characters?

Takashi: I've been inspired by the images that character designer Tetsuya Nomura has drawn. His ideas have influenced me a lot, but I believe that the time I spent acting before I joined Square has provided great inspiration as well. In game production, you have to be an actor, a choreographer, a scenario writer, and more in order to create deep characters.

IGNPS2: Which is your favorite character to play?

Takashi: I personally prefer Kou Leifoh.

IGNPS2: Why is that?

Takashi: Sion is the standard main character type while Volt is a cool, silent, mature man. I believe that videogames benefit greatly by having both serious and comical elements. Kou is the comic relief, but he also has the most difficult mission to live up to.

IGNPS2: There appear to be at least three endings in The Bouncer. How many are there, and what kinds of things will gamers discover by finishing the game so many times?

Takashi: In a broad sense, yes, there are three endings from the standpoint of seeing the perspectives of the three characters, but there are also minor branches within each ending. In addition to the three endings, there are also about nine variations in the epilogue sequence. Branching can occur after playing several times, or may occur with the timing of selecting characters, so I hope players enjoy the variations by playing the game more than three times.

IGNPS2: Do you have a favorite special move in the game? Which is it and why?

Takashi: I especially like Volt's throwing technique called "Power Bridge." Depending on the grasping angle, you can watch a suplex that is different when seen from the front, side, and back. I am personally a big WWF fan (my favorite wrestler is "THE GAME." HHH!).

IGNPS2: Ehrgeiz was a very different direction for DreamFactory. Do you feel that The Bouncer is more of a direct descendant of the Tobal series or Ehrgeiz?

Takashi: Direction-wise, I believe it developed from Ehrgeiz. The basic control form follows the Tobal series.

IGNPS2: How often did you go to bars and research this game. Is there any kind of moral tale you're trying to tell about bouncers?

Takashi: I enjoy going to bars during my free time, so I've never actually gone for the sake of research (laughs). During my stay in LA, I often visited bars with bouncers. In the game, the three bouncers are not just throwing their weight around because it's their job; they've all had different pasts and circumstances that led them to become bouncers. Selecting the character and following the main story reveals the course of their life. I wanted to express the true strength and sincerity that lies beneath a strong exterior.

IGNPS2: How did you decide to choose the camera angles in The Bouncer? Do you feel that they work well? Why?

Takashi: I first determine general camera angles with storyboards. Next, adjustments are made when the animations are created. After the animations are complete and displayed on the machine, then there are scenes that require further adjustment. Lastly, like editing a movie, adjustments are made after looking at the overall tempo. The camera angles owe their success to the tools used in creating the animation and the system that allows interactive fine-tuning on the actual machine.

IGNPS2: What do you think of the PS2's 5.1 Dolby Digital sound? Was it a useful experiment and how do you feel it enhanced the game?

Takashi: The effects of the 5.1 Dolby Digital Sound are used for the large scale FMVs. I believe this feature allows you to experience the atmosphere and intensity similar to that of a movie theater.

IGNPS2: Will there be a sequel to the Bouncer?

Takashi: There are no plans at this time, but if it proves to be a big hit, we just might have to create a sequel, no matter what we say.

IGNPS2: The love story between Sion and Dominique is very unusual. Can you go into some detail as to how you thought up the story?

Takashi: Yes, it is not a simple love story. With Sion, who has lost faith in human relationships, and with Dominique, who yearns for human relationships, their relationship is more of a family type of love rather than the traditional love between a man and a woman. The love between a man and a woman is something that ultimately forms a family. The theme I concentrated on most was what Sion would do after learning Dominique's secret. This should become clear after viewing more than one ending. The song that is played during the ending credits is Dominique's answer to Sion.

--Interview by Douglass C. Perry, Dave Zdryko and David Smith

For information on the Official Strategy Guide on the Bouncer, make sure to visit Brady Games.