MGS4 Released Next Year? Kojima seems to think so.... *Shock!*

mistan

Newcomer
So everything you saw on the trailer will be possible to see in the game when it's released sometime next year. Not only will the game sport a convincing amount of polygons, but lots of effects will be used, like the debt-blur.

Everything?! Wow....this game cant come soon enough...yet its coming next year.
Happy Happy Joy Joy

Taken From GAF's Jett

Since more people care about MGS4 in here than at OA, I'm gonna uh borrow this here interview(translated by FoxHimself, originally available in norweigan at http://www.dagbladet.no/kultur/2005/09/22/444179.html

- I had to use lots of words to show the characters emotion, as the game machines weren't able to show this graphically. Now the technology has evolved so far we can let the characters show their emotions trough facial animation and movement, Hideo Kojima tells Dagbladet.no

We're meeting Kojima, the man behind the successful game series "Metal Gear Solid", in Konami's HQ in Roppongi, Tokyo. He's in good spirit and smiles as we're entering the conference room, which is filled with several of Konami's arcade machines.

Kojima: - The biggest goal is to tell something, just with the use of the characters eyes. When we earlier made a character say "I love you", it's been done with text only. We will now try and take this to the next level, and let the player understand what emotions are being shown, just by LOOKING at the character. This is something the PlayStation 3 allows us to do.

The characters in the "Metal Gear Solid" games has always been very human-like, even though they were only a part of a videogame. A lot of this is because of Kojima's ability to mix the use of both intense action and subtle humor in both the dialogs and different actions.

Kojima has just showed off the trailer to his upcoming game MGS4 at the Tokyo Game Show. This would later be, together with Nintendo's Revolution Controller, one of the big events at the show.

Dagbladet.no: - One of the big surprises in the trailer was Snake's high age. You've said that this will be your last "Metal Gear Solid" game, can we expect Snake to survive?

Kojima: - Snake won't die in this game. And this isn't the end of "Metal Gear", I just won't be as involved - but I will of course be the producer in the next games too. As long as the masses wants "Metal Gear", I will continue to make "Metal Gear". But if they no longer want it, that's when I'll no longer make the games.

Kojima: - The reason I said I would not make "Metal Gear 5" myself, is that if I design every aspect of that game too, it'll make an impact on the next game I want to make.

Dagbladet.no: - Is this something you can eloborate a bit more about?

Kojima: - Of course, I can't tell you in detail about what I want to do [with the new game]. I have many ideas that's piled up inside me, but there is this one special idea I've been thinking about for the last two-three years now, and that's the idea I will consentrate on now. And since this is something totally new, I can't ask anyone else to do it for me - this is something I have to make myself. That's why I have to sit down and concentrate on this, and this only.

Dagbladet.no: - "Metal Gear Solid" has always shown certain weaknesses in the different characters. Is the aging of Snake a part of this scheme, to make him appear as a person that's not perfect?

Kojima: - The old Snake has been fighting and fighting and fighting, and he keeps fighting, even though he's old. This will have a part in the game, something I feel will give Snake some more "color".

Kojima: - I also feel that this is true to me as well. I make game after game after game, and I feel that I'm aging too. It's one of the messages I'm trying to get trough. Lastly, there's also some black humor pointed at "Metal Gear", which is over it's prime and is now descending - just like Snake.

Hideo Kojima is known to really make things the way he wants them to be when he's creating a game. In his own company, Kojima Productions, it's not like he's just a name in the credits, like some other producers. He's daily in on the development of the game, he cuts the game trailers himself and writes the lines by himself - in addition to supervising everything else.

Kojima: - I'm not a game producer because I want to make money - I just want to MAKE something. There weren't any good producers at the time I was looking for one, so I did it myself. I live and breathe for gaming, and if my job was just to lead a company meeting or something, I would never ever do it.

Kojima: - The technological development is also going so fast now. If you keep away from the development team for a period of time, you can't just pop back in. You just don't know what they're talking about. That's why I can never leave the development phase of games.

In the trailer from "Metal Gear Solid 4", there are elements playing like a FPS game. This has made many people think the series is at a crossroad.

Kojima: - That's exactly the impression I wanted people to get - a WRONG one! You're supposed to belive it's some kind of "Black Hawk Down". In the trailer I wanted to show where FPS games are heading, and simulate it.

Kojima: - "Metal Gear Solid" will, however, NOT go down that road. Graphically it might look like a FPS game, but when you play it, you'll know it's "MGS". It's hide and seek - a sneaking game.

Dagbladet.no: - The graphical quality on the "MGS4" trailer was extremely impressive. Was anything made using computer power?

Kojima: - A lot of developer might want to do it that way [to show off games]. Other trailers you saw on TGS and E3 was using a PC - or at least something other than a PS3. For some reason, the developers and programmers at Kojima Productions doesn't like to use a computer [to show off their games], so everything you saw in the "MGS4" trailer at TGS was made on a early PS3 devkit.

So everything you saw on the trailer will be possible to see in the game when it's released sometime next year. Not only will the game sport a convincing amount of polygons, but lots of effects will be used, like the debt-blur.

Kojima: - Since we're working with such an extreme resolution, it often became TOO sharp and clean. That's why we had to apply some new movie-like effects to make sure the game won't be TOO pretty. We basically had to dirty up the game, to make it look more like a movie.

Kojima grabs his ear and continues: - We also demonstrated how we can let the sun shine through for example ears. This was something that could only be used in computer rendered scenes, and not something we could use in-game before.

We'll also see new stuff on the weapon side, especially when it comes to weapon customization:

Kojima: - PS3 is a very powerful console, which allows us to go into extreme details. This means for example that we can allow the player to customize the weapons and gadgets in detail, and combine much more than before. We'll have over one hundred weapon combinations in the upcoming game.

Dagbladet.no: - Your games aren't tied up to a specific country or culture. Who do you imagine making the games for, and where does this inspiration come from?

Kojima: - I mainly make the games for me, or for someone I know. But this other person isn't someone I've met in real life, but maybe trough books or movies.

Kojima: - When I grew up, there weren't any tv-shows made only for Japan, as the channels couldn't keep up with the viewers wishes. Foreign shows and movies were bought in from around the world, or the shows were inspired by american and european shows. So when I turned on the tv, I got a trip around the world all by myself.

Kojima: - Japan was a mix of cultures back then, not much was our own. A lot was absorbed from foreign cultures, music too. I of course listened to Japanese music too, but mostly european music. Same with books, I read huge amounts of american and french comic books.

Kojima: - I also had a somewhat virtuall perception of the world when I was younger, and a lot of this could of course be wrong and based on stereotypes...

Dagbladet.no: - Satoru Iwata said in his keynote that the industry will be hit by a crisis if nothing is done soon - in their case, the Revolution is the answer to that crisis. What do you mean about this?

Kojima: - What he says is true in a lot of ways. We have to continue to innovate in some way or another, or the gaming industry will shrink down to nothing. I also feel that the Revolution is a wonderful console, especially for me as a game designer - it makes us come up with new ideas so we can make full use of the console.

Kojima: - On the other side lies the fact that many users is waiting for a reality simulator of sorts - a game, but something really like real-life. That's a truth we can't forget.

Kojima: - That's why both the Revolution and PS3 are interesting for game developers and gamers, but in two different ways. These two plattforms are in their own ways the present status of the gaming industry - it's moving in two different directions: One is basing itself on pure fun and happyness while playing, and the other is almost like a simulator.

This is just wow...Great interview
OMG, 100 Weapon customs!!
Kojima is the man....
Does he thing Xbox360 is not interesting?
 
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So that just kills what most people were saying. A lot of people said, "well yeah that game does look good for something coming out in 2007." Well guys I expect to be excited at next years E3. I see this game coming out next November.
 
This illustrates a point raised in the previous MGS debate...

Kojima: - "Metal Gear Solid" will, however, NOT go down that road. Graphically it might look like a FPS game, but when you play it, you'll know it's "MGS". It's hide and seek - a sneaking game.
For those wanting gameplay footage, watching someone sneaking and hiding could be pretty dull even though it can make for a tense and exciting game. THAT's why some trailers don't care to show gameplay footage. The devs create the engines and show them off in artistic, stylized or dramatic trailers rather then comparatively weak gameplay footage that doesn't transcribe well to a passive visual experience.
 
I don't think watching gameplay from a game like Splinter Cell is boring at all so MGS4 gameplay video shouldn't look boring either. The reality here is that a polished cutscene trailer with movie like cinemaography can hype up a game better than early unfinished gameplay videos.
 
A sneaking hiding game involves sitting still for periods of time, doing nothing. No matter how you look at it that's not going to make entertaining viewing. At least for the majority of people, even if you like it.
The reality here is that a polished cutscene trailer with movie like cinemaography can hype up a game better than early unfinished gameplay videos.
Which is what I said. Only I extend it to include finished gameplay videos as well. Earlier this morning I looked at the N3 trailer for XB360. The trailer looked fantastic. Then I watched the gameplay. BORRRRRIIIIIING!!! Assuming the trailer was in game graphics presenting that trailer to showcase their ingame graphics engine achieved a lot more in garnering interest then the gameplay footage ever would. That's why gameplay footage isn't always shown. Lack of gameplay footage != lack of a game.
 
N3 is a totally different type of game than MGS4 or SC. Like I said cutscene trailers are nice but they really don't say anything about the gameplay which could be good or bad. I mean just look at the gamplay videos of MGS3 that Konami showed before the game came out. It didn't look boring at all. Remember the camouflage footage and how it was used in game?
 
Kojima said:
Kojima: - PS3 is a very powerful console, which allows us to go into extreme details. This means for example that we can allow the player to customize the weapons and gadgets in detail, and combine much more than before. We'll have over one hundred weapon combinations in the upcoming game.

/me faints

Thats what i've been asking for....and...I didn't technically ask Kojima..but..in the end, I shall recieve.

Kojima said:
Kojima: - That's why both the Revolution and PS3 are interesting for game developers and gamers, but in two different ways. These two plattforms are in their own ways the present status of the gaming industry - it's moving in two different directions: One is basing itself on pure fun and happyness while playing, and the other is almost like a simulator.

I like this quote. I hope Kojima develops some games for the Revolution...the dude can be quirky. Also...its going to be cool to see what Kojima and developers in general do with the Revolution (and its controller).
 
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I think Geezer was talking commercially. There are type of games that has great gameplay for the guy holding the controller, but doesn't necessarily "wowing" the average consumer watching the guy play. But you put in games like, for example Burnout, the gamer is racing through traffics and blowing stuff up, that's a different story. Games like this and Splinter Cell is more of a thinking game for the player. So he doesn't seem to be enjoying the game, even though he is, because he's serious.

.Z
 
PC-Engine said:
I don't think watching gameplay from a game like Splinter Cell is boring at all so MGS4 gameplay video shouldn't look boring either. The reality here is that a polished cutscene trailer with movie like cinemaography can hype up a game better than early unfinished gameplay videos.

I've watched people play Splinter Cell and to me it is extremely boring to watch (not to play of course). Of course a cutscene trailer with movie like cinematography can hype a game better. After all if you are just watching a video might as well make it cinematic.
Of course what would trump that would be actually playing the game. I hope we see actual playable games for PS3 at E3 next year.
 
PC-Engine said:
I don't think watching gameplay from a game like Splinter Cell is boring at all so MGS4 gameplay video shouldn't look boring either.

the truth on this is that people have very hard time getting interested in something they decided to hate .It need some working on the self..
 
_phil_ said:
the truth on this is that people have very hard time getting interested in something they decided to hate .It need some working on the self..


SC is BORING to watch if your not playing...same as a linear RPG...my cousin can sit for hours playing an RPG, but I would fall asleep, and she would only wake me up when the cutscene's appear. Some games are worth watching for gameplay (ZOE2, MGS3,Final Fantasy, Ratchet and Clank...) because the cutscene's are always there...every other turn is a short cutscene and a interesting storyline. Games like SC and Socom is missions on Missions....I can get bored of that soo quickly....(unless it's online)

-Josh378
 
mckmas8808 said:
So that just kills what most people were saying. A lot of people said, "well yeah that game does look good for something coming out in 2007." Well guys I expect to be excited at next years E3. I see this game coming out next November.
i see your point but personally i really dont think there would be much difference between a december 2005 and an early 2007 release . Plus even if its released q4 2006 ,It still would be at least a year after already gorgeous looking game like pgr 3 and at least 6 months after Gow which what most ppl were comparing to mgs4 .
 
<nu>faust said:
i see your point but personally i really dont think there would be much difference between a december 2005 and an early 2007 release . Plus even if its released q4 2006 ,It still would be at least a year after already gorgeous looking game like pgr 3 and at least 6 months after Gow which what most ppl were comparing to mgs4 .

Well yeah the system is coming out 4 to 6 months after the Xbox360 too so there is really no point in saying that.
 
mckmas8808 said:
Well yeah the system is coming out 4 to 6 months after the Xbox360 too so there is really no point in saying that.

yes u r right, but ppl who said "yeah it looks good for 2007 game" are not that far off since the game is approximately a generation(software wise) ahead of what 360's launch titles therefore it is supposed to look better.
 
I guess it just depends on your patience whether watching gameplay is interesting or not.

In any rate, the trailer could have been spliced together clips of gameplay followed by a real time demo or cutscene. It's not like gameplay in game videos is continuous.
 
<nu>faust said:
yes u r right, but ppl who said "yeah it looks good for 2007 game" are not that far off since the game is approximately a generation(software wise) ahead of what 360's launch titles therefore it is supposed to look better.

Look we are talking semantics. To me if the game is released on December 31, 2006 it is a 2006 game NOT a 2007 game. There is 365 more days that a 2007 game could look better. It's not fair to say that this game is a 2007 game if it is not.
 
It's not semantics, MGS4 won't come out for a year from now, at least, so when it does come out in 2006/2007 there will be a whole new crop of games to compare it to.


So would you feel better if people said "It looks good for a game that is at least a year away" rather than "it looks good for a 2007 game"?
 
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scooby_dooby said:
It's not semantics, MGS4 won't come out for a year from now, at least, so when it does come out in 2006/2007 there will be a whole new crop of games to compare it to.


So would you feel better if people said "It looks good for a game that is at least a year away" rather than "it looks good for a 2007 game"?

Yes say that it looks good for a game that is a year away from release. Also say that it looks good for a game that will come out around 6 months after the release of the console too. And if the game looks this good now what can it look like come release?
 
8088 , i really dont understand why arent you trying so hard not to see my point. what i'm saying is there is not much difference between a late 2006 release and an early 2007 one ,and you still continue saying ppl were wrong when they said mgs was a 2007 release. :???:
 
mckmas8808 said:
Yes say that it looks good for a game that is a year away from release. Also say that it looks good for a game that will come out around 6 months after the release of the console too. And if the game looks this good now what can it look like come release?

Well MGS games have always looked about the same as the trailers, but usually much less cinematic and less attention to detail in game, but the same in-game assets that apper in the trailers.

Who knows what'll happen, but based on their past history it doesn't get any better then the pre-release trailers they show. I think they've set a very high goal for themselves as it is, and if really aiming for a 2006 launch I think they'll struggle just to produce an equal level of quality, let alone improve it.
 
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