Interview | Shin'en Talks Art of Balance (Nintendo WiiWare)

Manfred Linzner, CEO of Shin’en Multimedia: FFM did really great on WiiWare. However, currently we don't plans for another sports game as there are already many download and retail sports titles out there. Instead of a sequel, this year we will release some really fresh and original WiiWare titles.

AR: Did you start development for Art of Balance straight after completing FFM?

ML: Yes, we did. As FFM was our initial Wii game, we first had to learn a lot about the hardware. All this knowledge was then put into AoB. Also, on the graphics side we made a big jump forward. I think people’s first impression of AoB will be that it looks very lush and polished. Although it’s a physics-based puzzle game, and not a graphics demo, it shows that the Wii can really do excellent visuals.

AR: Nintendo originally announced the game was a ‘Late 2009’ release. Why was it delayed? Do you know when it will be released in Europe yet?

ML: We submitted the game in 2009 but came into the Xmas rush and so everything was a bit delayed. I'm very confident we can soon announce the EU release date as well.

AR: What sort of challenges have you faced when working on WiiWare? Were you able to use any feedback from FFM and lessons learned during development to help make Art of Balance a better game overall?

AR: Nanostray 2 is one of the most visually attractive games on DS. Obviously there are fewer constraints on WiiWare. Was moving away from the constraints of the DS a good thing in general, or do you prefer ‘honing your skills’ on a smaller format?

ML: Well, on the DS we tried to make our DS games look like PS2 games. That didn't change much on the Wii. On the Wii we just make our games look like PS3 or XBox360 games. So the challenge didn't go away *smiles*

AR: Will you continue making retail games on DS, or are download services the focus for Shin’en now?

ML: Currently we are focusing on WiiWare, but we haven’t quit making retail games just yet!

AR: Art of Balance has a very relaxing appearance. Did you take inspiration from the Zenses games you previously worked on?

ML: This is true. Those games certainly have extended our view on making games. Art of Balance will have a refreshing effect on the player and won't leave the player a nervous wreck after playing! I think Art of Balance simply strikes a chord with the power of beauty.

AR: Mitchell Corp’s Actionloop Twist used the Wii Remote’s pointing and twisting very well. Why did you choose to not use a similar control system for Art of Balance?

AR: For those that like something more ‘hardcore,’ will plenty of challenge be included?

ML: Yes, of course! We designed the game in a way where you don't have to solve all the levels to progress. There are specific 'challenges' that are really tough. If you solve them you can take new routes to new levels, but they are not mandatory. Adding that aspect gives the game a perfect balance (no pun intended!). You always can play just 'one more level,' but you never get stuck.

AR: Many people will look at Art of Balance and wonder how it is different to other physics-based balancing games. What makes your game better than other alternatives on the market and how accurate is the physics system?

ML: There are so many things that separate Art of Balance. First of all it really plays in a very fresh way, plus it looks and sounds brilliant. You really get all the bells and whistles from the Wii. There are a hundred levels to solve, and there are new worlds to unlock with new styles and new gameplay elements. I think our co-op two-player mode is something never seen before in a physics game. The second player is also able to simply drop-in or drop-out at any time! The split-screen vs. mode is also really great fun. You can really play it for hours.

The physics element itself is exactly like you would expect it to be without being overly realistic. Everything was so finely tuned over a long time until the gameplay and fun aspects were maximised.

ML: Yes, we did indeed think about it. Well, like the previously mentioned motion control it just didn’t make the experience better. Personally I played quite a few Wii games where I wished they would have left out the motion gimmicks because all they added was frustration. Of course, there are many great games where motion control is cool (like FFM!), but you can't add that to every game without making big sacrifices.

AR: Shin’en is renowned for its fantastic soundtracks. However, the style found in games like Nanostray and Sigma Star Saga would not suit this relaxing game. Have you had to use different people for this soundtrack?

ML: For around ten years we have had the same people making music at Shin'en. I think after doing soundtracks for around 200 games we really know what works best for each game! Music is still a top priority for our games. We spend a large amount of development time with it. For AoB we had tested quite a few styles before we settled on the current type of music.

AR: Did you consider including four-player split-screen or even an online two-on-two versus mode?

ML: Yes we did. Unfortunately a four player split was simply too small for the TV resolution of the Wii. We didn't consider adding online multiplayer, though, as this would have doubled our development expenses and the resulting price on WiiWare. We wanted to keep the price really attractive for the players instead. We are quite pleased that we can offer so much for just 800 points.

AR: In the two-player versus mode, are there any special items to help one player distract the other, or make their life more difficult in general?

ML: We had the idea of adding extras like in WiiWare Tetris for that reason. However, when play-testing, we soon figured out that this was not working. Already with all the basic gameplay elements included it was really extremely consuming experience just to be faster than your opponent!

ML: First of all we really appreciate all the fans that email us with those questions. We put a lot of effort into those games and it’s great to see that honoured. I'm pretty sure Nanostray will make a triumphant return in the not too distant future. Unfortunately, we don't have any rights to the Iridion brand.

AR: Who owns the rights to Iridion?

ML: Iridion is a trademark of Majesco Inc.

AR: Would you eventually want to purchase the IP from its current owner if there is no interest in making Iridion 3?

ML: It would depend on the offer. Anyway, I would love to see a new rendition of the series.

AR: Star Soldier R is the only high quality shmup on WiiWare so far, but there are many coming to DSiWare. Would you be more likely to make a shooter for the Wii or DSi download service?

ML: Currently we aren't considering that as we already made our best possible shmup on the actual DS hardware. However, with a new handheld piece of hardware from Nintendo this could be very likely.

ML: Currently we are concentrating on our new IPs. Although they are not shmups, I think they will be the best of their kind on the Wii.

AR: After a successful collaboration on Sigma Star Saga, and considering your close relationship in general, are you planning to work with WayForward again anytime soon?

ML: WayForward is really a great company. It would be excellent to work together again on a new project!

AR: WayForward told Cubed3 that a dream project would be their team > doing the adventure aspect and Shin'en adding shmup levels. Could this 'dream' ever become a reality?

ML: Interestingly, we have already received such offers in the past from other developers. The big problem is that naturally the development environment for each developer is different. To join the two different technologies is quite an effort, but it’s possible.