#209 -Jake Kazdal Interview On Nintendo, Eiji Aonuma, Zelda, SEGA, Hirokazu Tanaka, Awaysis

Jake Kazdal is a japanese game developer who has worked on games such as Galak-Z and Skulls Of The Shogun, he has worked for Nintendo, SEGA and Square Enix and is releasing his new game Awaysis very soon. This is a rare pullback of the curtain on Japanese design.

#nintendo #zelda #botw

WEBSITE - http://awaysis.jp/

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3334760/Awaysis/

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro

00:45 - Differences Between Japanese & Western Development

02:30 - Differences Between SEGA & Square Enix/Japanese Work Culture

07:00 - Nintendo Devs Are Retiring/Japanese Devs Are Nimble

09:15 - Kyoto’s Indie Scene/Hiring People At 17-Bit

10:39 - Japanese Labour Laws

11:40 - What Nintendo Devs Do Once They Retire/Retirement Age At Nintendo

11:46 - Nintendo Dev Legends Have Playtested Awaysis

14:11 - Playtesting With Awaysis

16:25 - Importance Of Iterating On Tutorials/What Is Awaysis

20:20 - Local Multiplayer Can’t Be Matched/Online Multiplayer/Covid

23:30 - Getting Hirokazu Tanaka To Compose Awaysis/Jake Is A Huge Nintendo Fan

25:40 - Pitch To Hirokazu Tanaka

26:50 - Physics System Of Awaysis

29:54 - Super Mario 64/Game Controls Are Too Tight Nowadays

33:28 - Graphics Take Precedent Over Physics

34:28 - The Physics System In Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

36:40 - Being Friends With Eiji Aonuma/The Glider In BOTW

38:14 - Physics Limitations In Unreal Engine

42:24 - Zelda BOTW & TOTK Are Masterpieces/Next Zelda

43:15 - Friendship With Eiji Aonuma

44:17 - Working At SEGA/Being Mentored By Tetsuya Mizuguchi

46:19 - Working With Steven Spielberg On Elemeno/Mirrors Edge

50:21 - Original Ideas In Games Are Few & Far Between

52:30 - Oversaturation Of Indie Games/Devs Leaving The Industry

55:11 - Devs Getting Laid Off Despite Success/The Dire State Of The Industry

56:15 - Stability Working At Nintendo & Valve/Struggles For Funding

01:01:00 - Gen-Z Play GAAS/Gamers Are Playing Old Games

1:03:49 - Where To Keep Up With Awaysis