Board 8 > probably the best video game news story of the year.

Topic List
Page List: 1
transience
02/09/12 3:13:00 PM
#1:


LAS VEGAS — Ninja Gaiden creator Tomonobu Itagaki almost quit making videogames when his company tricked him into releasing an unfinished title, he said on Thursday.

Itagaki, who has since left Tecmo and started an independent game studio called Valhalla, said in his speech at the annual DICE Summit that he only had two and a half months to port the fighting game Dead or Alive 2 to the PlayStation 2 in time for the home platform’s launch in March 2000.

“All of the staff, led by me, fought for a victory with all their energy,” Itagaki said through an onstage translator. “But unfortunately, the result wasn’t what we expected.”

As the deadline of the PlayStation 2's launch grew closer, the company’s sales general manager approached Itagaki at his desk.

“Can I borrow a copy of this so I can play it a little?” Itagaki remembers the manager saying.

“I said, sure, yeah, go on, and I handed him the disc which was still under development,” Itagaki said. “But this disc was never played by them.”

Instead, Itagaki said to the crowd of game developers and executives, “it was taken into a factory for production on that day without me knowing it.”

Tecmo, Itagaki said, “made a huge profit.” But the release of what he called an unfinished game sent Itagaki into a spiral of depression.

“I thought I would quit making games,” he said. He started staying home, drinking from morning until night. He’d cry as he watched the movie Armageddon over and over again with his then three-year-old daughter, listening to Aerosmith’s theme song “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.”

Eventually, he went back to work with a renewed sense of purpose, creating the follow-up game Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore in the state that he and his team wanted it to be.

“No matter what anyone says, Aerosmith and Armageddon were the ones who saved my life, my company, my friends and my family,” Itagaki concluded.


http://blog-admin.wired.com/gamelife/2012/02/itagaki-dice-2012/

--
xyzzy
... Copied to Clipboard!
LeonhartFour
02/09/12 3:15:00 PM
#2:


From: transience | #001
He’d cry as he watched the movie Armageddon over and over again with his then three-year-old daughter, listening to Aerosmith’s theme song “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.”

Eventually, he went back to work with a renewed sense of purpose, creating the follow-up game Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore in the state that he and his team wanted it to be.

“No matter what anyone says, Aerosmith and Armageddon were the ones who saved my life, my company, my friends and my family,” Itagaki concluded.


There are no words for this.

--
"The great GF...Bahamut."
"...GF? I...? Using my powers...It is you humans...I fear..."
... Copied to Clipboard!
Kotetsu534
02/09/12 3:16:00 PM
#3:


“No matter what anyone says, Aerosmith and Armageddon were the ones who saved my life, my company, my friends and my family,”

Wow. I have nothing to say.

--
Who knew the Rivalry Rumble would be so predictable? SuperNiceDog, that's who.
... Copied to Clipboard!
WolfActual
02/09/12 3:17:00 PM
#4:


what
... Copied to Clipboard!
Lockes Ragnarok
02/09/12 3:17:00 PM
#5:


“I thought I would quit making games,” he said. He started staying home, drinking from morning until night. He’d cry as he watched the movie Armageddon over and over again with his then three-year-old daughter, listening to Aerosmith’s theme song “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.”

Eventually, he went back to work with a renewed sense of purpose, creating the follow-up game Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore in the state that he and his team wanted it to be.

“No matter what anyone says, Aerosmith and Armageddon were the ones who saved my life, my company, my friends and my family,” Itagaki concluded.


XFD

--
Let's get drunk and make bad decisions
"Life is a bunch of stuff" -- Whiskey Nick
... Copied to Clipboard!
ZFS
02/09/12 3:24:00 PM
#6:


Itagaki is amazing.

--
"When I was a young man, I had liberty, but I did not see it. I had time, but I did not know it."
... Copied to Clipboard!
Dauntless Hunter
02/09/12 3:25:00 PM
#7:


From: transience | #001
“I thought I would quit making games,” he said. He started staying home, drinking from morning until night. He’d cry as he watched the movie Armageddon over and over again with his then three-year-old daughter, listening to Aerosmith’s theme song “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.”

Eventually, he went back to work with a renewed sense of purpose, creating the follow-up game Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore in the state that he and his team wanted it to be.

“No matter what anyone says, Aerosmith and Armageddon were the ones who saved my life, my company, my friends and my family,” Itagaki concluded.


This is the most amazing ever.

--
SuperNiceDog may be the Guru Champion...
But SuperBowlGiants are the NFL Champions!
... Copied to Clipboard!
tereziWright
02/09/12 3:26:00 PM
#8:


John Egbert grows up to be Itagaki

--
http://img.imgcake.com/tumblrlydlw2kYU21r0x924o1500gifru.gif
http://img.imgcake.com/1326165368699gifme.gif
... Copied to Clipboard!
RevolverSaro
02/09/12 3:28:00 PM
#9:


o WTF

--
"Don't freeze up girl, you're looking quite a sight." - Adam Ant.
"Baby, can you dig your man? He's a righteous man." - Larry Underwood
... Copied to Clipboard!
KanzarisKelshen
02/09/12 3:30:00 PM
#10:


This is the most amazing thing. I'm not sure if it's amazingly good or bad, but it definitely IS amazing.

--
Sburbopolis, Homestuck RPG: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/60981373
... Copied to Clipboard!
Biolizard28
02/09/12 3:31:00 PM
#11:


I don't know which is more impressive. The Aerosmith and Armageddon comment or the fact that he was so upset about releasing an unfinished game that not even piles of money could make him happy.

--
I like how each new topic you make reveals such varied facets of your idiocy. - foolmo
[NO BARKLEY NO PEACE]
... Copied to Clipboard!
KanzarisKelshen
02/09/12 3:36:00 PM
#12:


From: Biolizard28 | #011
I don't know which is more impressive. The Aerosmith and Armageddon comment or the fact that he was so upset about releasing an unfinished game that not even piles of money could make him happy.


That's because HE didn't make a pile of money, most likely. Unless he was paid royalties he earned his usual salary.

And yes, releasing an unfinished POS is a big deal for someone who truly loves his craft. Grab a musician and release a demo of his that he thinks is half-finished and he'll despair. When you love your work you want to do it well. If someone exposes something terrible for the world to see, you feel really bad because you feel like it's your fault.

--
Sburbopolis, Homestuck RPG: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/60981373
... Copied to Clipboard!
SemiFinal vs Belarus
02/09/12 3:37:00 PM
#13:


this is amazing

--
"Oh God, maplejet's trying to be cool again. I'll call the ambulance." - Wylvane
[NO BARKLEY NO PEACE]
... Copied to Clipboard!
azuarc
02/09/12 3:40:00 PM
#14:


*tries to reason out the connection between Aerosmith and Armageddon*

Armageddon, the movie? Like with the inbound meteor? Aerosmith had a song in that...is THAT what he's talking about?
... Copied to Clipboard!
Haguile
02/09/12 3:40:00 PM
#15:


From: transience | Posted: 2/9/2012 6:13:01 PM | #001
“I thought I would quit making games,” he said. He started staying home, drinking from morning until night. He’d cry as he watched the movie Armageddon over and over again with his then three-year-old daughter, listening to Aerosmith’s theme song “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.”

Eventually, he went back to work with a renewed sense of purpose, creating the follow-up game Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore in the state that he and his team wanted it to be.

“No matter what anyone says, Aerosmith and Armageddon were the ones who saved my life, my company, my friends and my family,” Itagaki concluded.


I think he has earned some sort of honorary American citizenship with this.
... Copied to Clipboard!
LeonhartFour
02/09/12 3:40:00 PM
#16:


From: azuarc | #014
*tries to reason out the connection between Aerosmith and Armageddon*

Armageddon, the movie? Like with the inbound meteor? Aerosmith had a song in that...is THAT what he's talking about?


uhhhhhhh

--
http://i.minus.com/iH9vIGOBoyTQ2.gif
... Copied to Clipboard!
WolfActual
02/09/12 3:42:00 PM
#17:


azuarc posted...
*tries to reason out the connection between Aerosmith and Armageddon*

Armageddon, the movie? Like with the inbound meteor? Aerosmith had a song in that...is THAT what he's talking about?


You just managed to top the OP on the WTF meter.


... Copied to Clipboard!
XIII_rocks
02/09/12 3:43:00 PM
#18:


....Best news story.

--
http://img.imgcake.com/Xiiijpgen.jpg - Me, as drawn by Ayvuir (who is also a giant douche)
... Copied to Clipboard!
greengravy294
02/09/12 3:44:00 PM
#19:


Amazing.

--
Try hard.
Camp harder.
... Copied to Clipboard!
XIII_rocks
02/09/12 3:44:00 PM
#20:


Though sad that that kind of thing actually goes on. I wonder if that's the first time something like that has happened

--
http://img.imgcake.com/nio/59xiiipngpy.png
... Copied to Clipboard!
PartOfYourWorld
02/09/12 3:47:00 PM
#21:


I have officially jettisoned myself off the Tebow bandwagon and jumped aboard Team Itagaki. His passion (as he details it, anyway) is pretty admirable, but the Armageddon stuff puts this story in a whole 'nother league. Still, wtf @ deceiving a game's director and releasing an unfinished product under his nose.

--
Yoblazer: http://i33.tinypic.com/ml36gl_th.gif
Watch and you'll see... someday I'll be... part of your world!
... Copied to Clipboard!
ZFS
02/09/12 3:49:00 PM
#22:


external image

--
"When I was a young man, I had liberty, but I did not see it. I had time, but I did not know it."
... Copied to Clipboard!
LeonhartFour
02/09/12 3:49:00 PM
#23:


From: XIII_rocks | #020
Though sad that that kind of thing actually goes on. I wonder if that's the first time something like that has happened


What are the odds that something like this happened with games like Superman 64 or Big Rigs?

--
http://www.miscupload.com/upload/452457071929141623517416.gif
... Copied to Clipboard!
Raka_Putra
02/09/12 3:49:00 PM
#24:


What the hell..

--
Proud ValHellen x Maha_Bufudyne shipper.
... Copied to Clipboard!
th3l3fty
02/09/12 3:52:00 PM
#25:


Itagaki is something else

--
thelefty for analysis crew 2008 imo -tranny
I have a third degree burn in flame-o-nomics -Sir Chris
... Copied to Clipboard!
SlymDayspring
02/09/12 3:52:00 PM
#26:


this is fantastic

best news story period

--
I'm "kind of a big deal".
http://img.imgcake.com/cyclo/Cyclopngegpngre.png
... Copied to Clipboard!
Haguile
02/09/12 3:54:00 PM
#27:


From: LeonhartFour | Posted: 2/9/2012 6:49:09 PM | #023
What are the odds that something like this happened with games like Superman 64 or Big Rigs?


Wasn't there a theory that Big Rigs was a project by the Russian mafia to rip people off?
... Copied to Clipboard!
PartOfYourWorld
02/09/12 3:56:00 PM
#28:


From: LeonhartFour | #023
What are the odds that something like this happened with games like Superman 64 or Big Rigs?


I'd like to think that the publisher would have at least approached the director and said "we need to go into production by this date. I don't care if it's finished or not, we can't miss this deadline." If nothing else, that would at least give the dev team some warning as to what to scrap and how to work around it (I doubt any of this happened with a no-name title like Big Rigs, but just sayin). Going behind the director's back just seems like an incredibly unprofessional thing to do, especially with an actual big-name title.

--
Yoblazer: http://i44.tinypic.com/5nw45i.jpg
Watch and you'll see... someday I'll be... part of your world!
... Copied to Clipboard!
Dauntless Hunter
02/09/12 3:57:00 PM
#29:


This story completely sold me on his next game. Anyone with this much passion for what they do deserves to be supported.

But unfortunately it's not on Amazon for preorder yet.

--
SuperNiceDog may be the Guru Champion...
But SuperBowlGiants are the NFL Champions!
... Copied to Clipboard!
transience
02/09/12 3:57:00 PM
#30:


it's a port that they wanted to get out the door for launch.

(why are we discussing this and not aweing at Ikagaki en masse)

--
xyzzy
... Copied to Clipboard!
BlackMageJawa
02/09/12 3:59:00 PM
#31:


This sort of thing was apparently endemic on the Atari 2600. If a publisher asked to see your progress, it meant they wanted to ship right now.

--
"I'm Commander Shepard, and you're standing in the biggest library in Citadel Space. Look me up."
... Copied to Clipboard!
KamikazePotato
02/09/12 5:07:00 PM
#32:


amazing

--
Black Turtle did a pretty good job.
... Copied to Clipboard!
TVontheRadio
02/09/12 5:44:00 PM
#33:


this is sad and hilarious at the same time

simply amazing

--
SuperNiceDog
all you need
... Copied to Clipboard!
TheKnightOfNee
02/09/12 5:54:00 PM
#34:


This is

wait what

--
ONLY FIVE CAN LADDER.
Sushi, kamikaze, fujiyama, nippon-ichi...
... Copied to Clipboard!
Shoenin_Kakashi
02/09/12 5:56:00 PM
#35:


people do find inspiration from the most oddest of places


Good for him, I guess

--
Oh SuperNiceDog's doing it again dude.
SuperNiceDog, you ain't no pimp dude
... Copied to Clipboard!
pjbasis
02/09/12 5:56:00 PM
#36:


Cause even when I dream of you

The sweetest dream will never do

--
http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/rr345/Rakaputra/pjbasis.png
SuperNiceDog - 1, pjbasis - 0
... Copied to Clipboard!
Blairville
02/09/12 10:06:00 PM
#37:


My new hero!

--
I may laugh at my own jokes, but I don't dare laugh at SuperNiceDog!
... Copied to Clipboard!
foolm0ron
02/09/12 10:16:00 PM
#38:


That's an amazing story

--
_foolmo_
'but that statement is something only an Aspergers patient would say' - UltimaterializerX
... Copied to Clipboard!
LeonhartFour
02/13/12 12:11:00 AM
#39:


Don't want this to die yet.

--
Guess who I am!
http://gifsoup.com/webroot/animatedgifs3/1345748_o.gif
... Copied to Clipboard!
Weakupedia
02/13/12 12:22:00 AM
#40:


i

what

--
XS2 is the only good Xenosaga game - Lady Ashe
... Copied to Clipboard!
Liquid Wind
02/13/12 12:26:00 AM
#41:


o_o
... Copied to Clipboard!
Anagram
02/13/12 12:33:00 AM
#42:


Man.

--
Not changing this sig until I decide to change this sig.
Started: July 6, 2005
... Copied to Clipboard!
CoolCly
02/13/12 12:36:00 AM
#43:


Lol @ the manager

"can i borrow this game to play it a little?" "k thx"

*goes straight to the factory for mass production"

That doesn't even make sense. What if there were crippling bugs in that version to make it unplayable?

--
The batman villians all seem to be one big joke that batman refuses to laugh at - SantaRPG
... Copied to Clipboard!
Weakupedia
02/13/12 12:37:00 AM
#44:


i don't even remember the ps2 having any DOA2 other than DOA2: Hardcore!

--
XS2 is the only good Xenosaga game - Lady Ashe
... Copied to Clipboard!
#45
Post #45 was unavailable or deleted.
XIII_rocks
02/13/12 1:14:00 AM
#46:


From: CoolCly | #043
Lol @ the manager

"can i borrow this game to play it a little?" "k thx"

*goes straight to the factory for mass production"

That doesn't even make sense. What if there were crippling bugs in that version to make it unplayable?


Well I presume he played it or he knew beforehand it didn't. Or both.

I'm sure that story left out a couple of details.

--
Luster Reloaded: Damn, that's some crazy s***.
... Copied to Clipboard!
Liquid Wind
02/13/12 1:15:00 AM
#47:


I will seriously never understand Japanese business culture. Those people all come off as gigantic crybaby, yet hyper-competitive p***ies to me.

how are those two traits incongruent with each other? hyper competitive people frequently are gigantic crybabies(when they lose)
... Copied to Clipboard!
Topic List
Page List: 1