The first poll closed with Shadow of the Colossus (64%) preferred over ICO (36%) as the game readers like most. Thanks to all those who voted!
Today's Poll asks what are you hoping for the next game by Fumito Ueda. Do you want to see another game set in the same universe as ICO and Shadow or do you want to see something completely new?
The poll may be found at the top of the page. Don't forget to put in your vote!
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Fan Interview: Nolan Snoap, Creator of "Forget the World"
After allowing me to host his video, Nolan also spent some time answering a few questions about his music video, "Forget the World" and Fumito Ueda's games in general:
What were the main themes you wanted to portray in Forget the World?
Well, you basically hit the nail on the head in your description. Love and solitude are both heavily pervasive themes in the game. On my first playthrough of the game, I loved it but found the story to be merely above average. It was looking back on it, however, that I started to appreciate the plot more. When I started thinking about how much Wander must have loved Mono to soldier on through not one, but sixteen seemingly impossible fights in a row. The title for the video came from a feeling that I took from the game about Wander. He fled his home with a sacred sword to a forbidden place and, knowing that he would ultimately pay a heavy price, did everything it took to bring back his love.
Also, I think that sacrifice was a big theme in the game, and I tried to represent that in the video as well. I mean, come on. I included the death scenes of every character in the game!
How long did it take you to complete the music video?
This being my first time ever attempting to use video editing software, it probably took a lot longer than it should have. I'd say, including the time it took to find and download all the footage, it took about eight hours of work. Granted, probably four of those hours could have been saved if I hadn't run into some newbie trouble with Windows Movie Maker.
Did you do any other videos in the past?
Nope, this was my first video.
What is your general feeling about Fumito Ueda's games?
Fumito Ueda and his team over at SCEJ is one of the few developers that remain in the industry today that consistently hold my interest (the other being Kojima Productions). Ico and Shadow of the Colossus are easily in my top five games of this console generation. Ico absolutely blew me away with its aesthetic prowess and brilliantly simplistic gameplay. Shadow of the Colossus didn't have quite the same impact on me, but I found that it got better with each playthrough as I noticed all the work that went into the gameplay mechanics. Both tapped into an emotional spectrum that is rarely touched upon in video games.
I think that the minimalist approach that Fumito and Co. use in their games really makes them stand out in a sea of mediocre titles. In an industry that seems to produce less and less high-concept games in favor of recycling established hits, my appreciation towards Sony for allowing Fumito's team to take years developing their wonderfully original games is unmeasurable. Condensed quality and attention to detail are what Team Ico's games are all about.
What are you hoping for the next game?
As much as fans of Shadow of the Colossus and Ico might hope for another game taking place within the same universe, I would like to see what else Fumito can do outside of the box he's created. He's such a talented young designer, and I think it would be a shame to see him pushed into a creative corner ala Hideo Kojima by the fans that love his games so much. Plus, if his next game were to clear up what happens between Shadow and Ico, that would kill the mystery and probably shatter 90 percent of the speculative discussions that have resulted from the obscure link between the games. Whatever he is working on now, I anxiously wait for it to be announced.
Thank you so much for your time and good luck with any new projects you go for!
Link to "Forget the World" - Here
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These first two posts - the music video and the interview - are part of a new campaign to get to know fans of the games and their works. You'll be seeing a lot more very soon!
What were the main themes you wanted to portray in Forget the World?
Well, you basically hit the nail on the head in your description. Love and solitude are both heavily pervasive themes in the game. On my first playthrough of the game, I loved it but found the story to be merely above average. It was looking back on it, however, that I started to appreciate the plot more. When I started thinking about how much Wander must have loved Mono to soldier on through not one, but sixteen seemingly impossible fights in a row. The title for the video came from a feeling that I took from the game about Wander. He fled his home with a sacred sword to a forbidden place and, knowing that he would ultimately pay a heavy price, did everything it took to bring back his love.
Also, I think that sacrifice was a big theme in the game, and I tried to represent that in the video as well. I mean, come on. I included the death scenes of every character in the game!
How long did it take you to complete the music video?
This being my first time ever attempting to use video editing software, it probably took a lot longer than it should have. I'd say, including the time it took to find and download all the footage, it took about eight hours of work. Granted, probably four of those hours could have been saved if I hadn't run into some newbie trouble with Windows Movie Maker.
Did you do any other videos in the past?
Nope, this was my first video.
What is your general feeling about Fumito Ueda's games?
Fumito Ueda and his team over at SCEJ is one of the few developers that remain in the industry today that consistently hold my interest (the other being Kojima Productions). Ico and Shadow of the Colossus are easily in my top five games of this console generation. Ico absolutely blew me away with its aesthetic prowess and brilliantly simplistic gameplay. Shadow of the Colossus didn't have quite the same impact on me, but I found that it got better with each playthrough as I noticed all the work that went into the gameplay mechanics. Both tapped into an emotional spectrum that is rarely touched upon in video games.
I think that the minimalist approach that Fumito and Co. use in their games really makes them stand out in a sea of mediocre titles. In an industry that seems to produce less and less high-concept games in favor of recycling established hits, my appreciation towards Sony for allowing Fumito's team to take years developing their wonderfully original games is unmeasurable. Condensed quality and attention to detail are what Team Ico's games are all about.
What are you hoping for the next game?
As much as fans of Shadow of the Colossus and Ico might hope for another game taking place within the same universe, I would like to see what else Fumito can do outside of the box he's created. He's such a talented young designer, and I think it would be a shame to see him pushed into a creative corner ala Hideo Kojima by the fans that love his games so much. Plus, if his next game were to clear up what happens between Shadow and Ico, that would kill the mystery and probably shatter 90 percent of the speculative discussions that have resulted from the obscure link between the games. Whatever he is working on now, I anxiously wait for it to be announced.
Thank you so much for your time and good luck with any new projects you go for!
Link to "Forget the World" - Here
---
These first two posts - the music video and the interview - are part of a new campaign to get to know fans of the games and their works. You'll be seeing a lot more very soon!
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