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Metal gears forged by silicon knights
During the latest GameRome, a videogame convention aimed at game developers held at Link Campus University in Rome, we had the pleasure to talk with Denis Dyack, creator of some of the most iconic games in the Gamecube era like Eternal Darkness and Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes. During the interview many interesting things about Twin Snakes development came up and we took the chance to ask about Nintendo Switch.
NintendOn: Can you tell us how the whole “Metal Gear Solid Remake for Gamecube” thing started?
Denis Dyack: I was at Nintendo, in Kyoto, during the summer right after we finished Eternal Darkness – and I was sitting in the caffeteria, eating some sushi, and Mr. Miyamoto came up and set beside me just started talking and I was “No big deal”, you know, ‘cause we were working togheter a lot, talking about the upcoming projects, than Mr. Iwata set down as well, then everyone started looking at us and I thought something was up for sure.
Then in the middle of lunch Mr. Miyamoto said: “So, would you like to do a Metal Gear Solid?” and I was quite shocked and said “Sure, but I don’t know I we would do that, since we don’t own the rights” and he said “Well, I’ve been talking to Mr. Kojima for a while and he wants to do a Metal Gear, but his team is really busy on Metal Gear Solid 3 so he can’t do one, but then I told him that we had a great team that would be perfect for a Metal Gear Solid for the Gamecube” and it was your team.
“So, would you like to do it?” And I sad “Sure” and he goes “Great” because we were going down tot Tokyo the next day on the bullet train and so we had a meeting and then it all got approved within a day, so it all happened that fast.
NintendOn: At that time, which was your favourite Hideo Kojima’s game? And which one is today?
Danis Dyack: It’s a tough question, I think they’re all good. I would say definitely at the time Metal Gear Solid 2 – I liked one as well but I think in Metal Gear Solid 2 I liked the cinemas a lot more than the first one but there’s a lot of good things about both of them so I like them both, but I like Metal Gear Solid 2 more. As for today, I just like the whole Metal Gear Solid series and I’m looking forward to mr. Kojima next game Death Stranding so I can’t wait for it.
NintendOn: Was your team confindent to pull off a game worthy (or better…) than the original?
Denis Dyack: I don’t think we even tried to do that. I don’t know the answer to that because we never tried to do something better than the original, we tried to create a different experience that people would appreciate. I think the first game, Metal Gear Solid, was so a classic and so well done – to try to create something better was not the point, it was to create a different experience that was unique for the Gamecube so people who played the first Metal Gear would enjoy a different experience on the Gamecuebe. That was our goal.
NintendOn: Was Miyamoto involved in the project?
Denis Dyack: yes
NintendOn: Which part of the game are you most proud of?
Denis Dyack: I guess the part I’m most proud of is the ability for all three groups to work togheter over such long distances, so between us in Canada, on the East Coast, and Nintendo in Kyoto and Konami in Tokyo, all three groups working togheter in different time zones to pull that project off – cause it was a big project, a tough project – it wasn’t a regular remake by any stretch of the imagination, it was pretty much a brand new game from the gorund up exepct for plot details and stuff.
NintendOn: What do you think about Nintendo Switch? Do you have one?
I don’t have one right now [as far as December 2017 – NdPittanza], I’ve not been able to get one – they sold out and I’ve been busy with work so I haven’t been able to wait in line to get one. I think the Switch is an excellent machine, I really want to get one to play Zelda and few other games I’ve been dying to play. I think they’re doing very well and I’m very happy for it.
NintendOn: What do you think about Nintendo “always different” approach in designing game consoles?
I think that’s one of their trademarks, I think that really sets them apart from a lot of other hardware manufacturers. I think their development driven approach really separates them from the pack where they’re willing to do something different and take a risk on doing something different. You know I applaud them for doing so and I always looking forward to see what they’re doing next because of it.
NintendOn: Is it really a “developer friendly” hardware as it looks lke?
The Siwtch is super developer friendly from what I’ve heard so I think it’s a great system, I think people love it
NintendOn: Are you planning to develop for it?
We’re gonna be developing for all platform and of course we love Nintendo so we’ll always consider the Switch.
We’d like to thank Denis Dyack again for the interview.
