Infinite Undiscovery: Interview with Hiroshi Ogawa

During our time spent on the exclusive preview of tri-Ace's spectacular-looking upcoming RPG, Infinite Undiscovery, we had a chance to chat with the game's (and studio) director, Hiroshi Ogawa. He's got some big ideas and a distinct philosophy behind this studio's approach to making RPGs. Plus, he's just a super nice guy. Read on...

--

Us: In your own words, what’s the story of Infinite Undiscovery?

Ogawa: The tangle of emotions that surface in war… The countless forms of “justice” on proud display… Infinite Undiscovery is a tale that records the growth of a hero, who, burdened with a battle-filled journey, is faced with the harsh reality that a difference in rank denotes a difference in opinion. He must ultimately make a decision on what it is that must be accomplished.

Us: What is it about the story that you felt needed to be told in videogame-form?

Ogawa: This is somewhat of a cliché, but I feel that an “engaging narrative” is one of the key elements of an RPG. Players are placed in the protagonist’s shoes and can experience the story first-hand – this is what sets games apart from movies or novels – games can express the pieces of a story that lie outside of the main plot. What is left “between the lines” in novels is made explicit in RPGs to fulfill a player’s experience. This is the main reason why Infinite Undiscovery is being told in videogame-form.

Us: Which of the characters do you like the most and why?

Ogawa: I feel guilty for admitting this, but my favorite is neither Capel nor Aya. Although yet to be revealed, I would have to say that my favorite is a certain young character of high social standing. This character wields a weapon that Japanese audiences are very familiar with, and I am personally very fond of the unconditional stubbornness with which the character stands by his/her morals.

Us: How does the team come up with characters in any of tri-Ace’s various RPGs?

Ogawa: Generally the team starts with a backbone and works to flesh it out. Story and game-related aspects are the bulk of what goes into creating the foundation, but in the end we always end up fine-tuning a character according to our personal preferences. 

Us: tri-Ace RPGs are known for incorporating unique combat engines – is Infinite Undiscovery following the same pattern? What is the most important aspect of combat that you expect RPG fans to really get excited over? Can you tell us how the team came up with the idea behind the combat system?

Ogawa: The pursuit of a real-time battle experience is definitely a core aspect.  We based development on ideas that surfaced through past projects, and have placed greater emphasis on enemy-ally relations (taking into consideration the number of enemies, their strength or an ally’s situation). I think that RPG fans enjoy the element of balance-control, wherein they can affect a character’s relationship to its enemies through leveling or by customizing equipment.  Players are able to alter the level balance according to their personal play style (and this in turn generates replay value), which is definitely an aspect of RPGs that differentiates it from action-based games.

In devising the battle system, while there have been various methodologies implemented for different titles, we always create a “focal point” of what we want the players to experience. For our past titles, we have always been consciously creating games in which simple commands enable exhilarating gameplay, on top of which players can enjoy the strategic progression inherent to video games.

123NEXT