Creating Spielberg's BOOM BLOX
Louis Castle
Overview: This presentation focuses on the unique production and design processes used to create BOOM BLOX, a Spielberg | EA original game for the Nintendo Wii shipping early this year. BOOM BLOX was created highly collaboratively with Steven Spielberg by a very small team in a relatively short period of time. Dozens of unrelated playable prototypes were created which focused on game play compulsion loops built around the Wii controller to determine which would create the most entertaining experience. Many ideas that seemed great on paper really did not make it as playable games and other ideas that seemed to have little promise ended up being some of the most prominent elements of a fully cohesive, premium family game for the Wii. This presentation will discuss what worked and what didn't as the production evolved from near a "games workshop" state with near zero documentation and fluid process to a full production with an almost standard EA processes.
Development - SUPER SMASH BROS. BRAWL
Masahiro Sakurai
Overview: One of the strengths of Nintendo is its great number of character franchises. SUPER SMASH BROS. BRAWL builds on this legacy by providing a unique experience for Wii, leveraging many popular characters from the history of Nintendo and beyond. However, integrating so many different characters, each with its own personality, is no easy task, especially when characters from other publishers are willing to join the brawl. The man behind SMASH BROS., Masahiro Sakurai, discusses how he has approached this unique game series.
Planning the Wii Menu: From Pre-Launch to WiiWare
Takashi Aoyama
Overview: Takashi Aoyama of Nintendo's Network Group explains for attendees the story of the development of Wii hardware's internal programming. The Wii Menu includes a diverse array of built-in entertainment and educational options for users, including the News Channel, the Everybody Votes Channel and the Check Mii Out Channel. Aoyama discusses how the team at Nintendo has tackled these unprecedented challenges for Wii, including the most recent challenge to introduce WiiWare.
WII FIT: Creating a Brand New Interface for the Home Console
Takao Sawano
Overview: A fitness video game? Nintendo developers were challenged from the start when given the directive to develop an application for daily use that enables you to have fun while monitoring your fitness. Takao Sawano, the principal Wii Balance Board developer, discusses how his team ended up creating an unprecedented new game controller that will have a far-reaching impact for both casual and core gamers in WII FIT and beyond. Attendees will learn about the development of WII FIT as well as how the product, which recently launched in Japan, is already turning family living rooms into private fitness clubs.
WiiWare Project Lifecycle: FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES, THE LITTLE KING
Fumiaki Shiraishi/ Toshiro Tsuchida
Overview: This session presents an in-depth look at the development process of Square-Enix's WiiWare launch title, FINAL FANTASY CHRYSTAL CHRONICLES: THE LITTLE KING. The development team's motivations to create WiiWare game will be explained, as well as difficult decisions made when faced with the task of creating a contemporary game within a 40MB memory limitation.
Implementing Ragdoll Physics on the Nintendo DS
Eric Brown
Overview: This lecture will address three specific technical issues which, will enable development of Ragdoll physics on the Nintendo DS.
Innovative Touch Screen Controls SPIDER-MAN 3 DS Postmortem
Leo Zuniga/ Muhammad Ahmed
Overview: The DS touch screen can make or break a game, especially for an existing franchise. Spiderman 3 DS took a big risk with its innovative touch screen combat and the results are in. Players all over the world enjoyed the fresh touch screen approach on the action adventure genre. Prototyping, focus testing and simplicity-rules led to an approachable control system with a deep underlining layer for players to experience.
