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Cool Rez article at Gamasutra.. talks about UGA and Sega
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FortNinety
Member
happyfunball said:
I managed to save a few. Here's some that I have handy:
K-Project vid #1
K-Project vid #2
K-Project vid #3
There's one little aspect to this story that is missing.
And it concerns the title - 'Rez'.
I had the opportunity to check out K-Project a couple of times during its development. I remember we were the first journalists from the west to play the demo that included the Underworld track and which - we thought - was an extended version of the track 'Rez' (which can be found on the Dirty Epic EP).
(Getting a bit trainpottery here, but the track Cowgirl has an indentical burbling background synth melody, but it also has a lot of vocal stuff that certainly wasn't in the game demo. But in some respects I guess they are the same track - in their original versions, Rez is essentially a variation of Cowgirl. Perhaps it went through a few iterations in the game.)
So that night over dinner with Miz we suggested that 'Rez' would be a great name for the game. He loved the idea... and despite Underworld choosing not to be involved - not their best decision, but understandable given how conceptually lame most games are - I guess it stuck. Perhaps they didn't realise that UGA's lead artist Yokota-san could out-design anything by Tomato - the graphic design company co-founded by Underworld's Karl Hyde and Rick Smith.
It's possible we got the track wrong, but that mistake led to the game getting a cool name! Funny how things work that way - the zig-zag way of the universe. Anyway, I remember being chuffed to find both our names listed in the game's credits as a result.
Unfortunately, what wasn't expected was for the game to sell less copies than the slab of underground vinyl that preceded it. Talk about marketing really dropping the ball.
To me the continuing fascination with Rez is a strong indicator of just how little imagination flourishes in games design these days. I don't think Jeff Minter was TOO far off the mark when he commented that Rez is essentially Panzer Dragoon with trance pants on. And I say this with the greatest respect because I know that Mizuguchi's original vision was way beyond how the game turned out.
I remember that there were frustrations at UGA because when Sega's management couldn't really see 'a game' forming I think they brought in some director who cut his teeth at Konami - who unfortunately just didn't really 'get it'. So I got the sense that Rez was a very 'out there' concept of Mizuguchi's inspired by the kandisnky stuff, visually interpreted brilliantly by Yokota-san, but which perhaps got a little lost along the way. This was then tamed and dumbed down by cookie cutter-style sensibilities. At least it was made. I love the design and essence of the game, but I really think Mizuguchi should explore this idea properly in a sequel of sorts.
Rez, Rez, rez, Rez, rez. Now, if only I'd kept my original MD recording of the interview with the Underworld music - I could list it on ebay along with my JR train ticket stub from Meguro to Shibuya and the napkin that Mizuguchi used at dinner, which I covertly stashed in my bag. Any takers?
And it concerns the title - 'Rez'.
I had the opportunity to check out K-Project a couple of times during its development. I remember we were the first journalists from the west to play the demo that included the Underworld track and which - we thought - was an extended version of the track 'Rez' (which can be found on the Dirty Epic EP).
(Getting a bit trainpottery here, but the track Cowgirl has an indentical burbling background synth melody, but it also has a lot of vocal stuff that certainly wasn't in the game demo. But in some respects I guess they are the same track - in their original versions, Rez is essentially a variation of Cowgirl. Perhaps it went through a few iterations in the game.)
So that night over dinner with Miz we suggested that 'Rez' would be a great name for the game. He loved the idea... and despite Underworld choosing not to be involved - not their best decision, but understandable given how conceptually lame most games are - I guess it stuck. Perhaps they didn't realise that UGA's lead artist Yokota-san could out-design anything by Tomato - the graphic design company co-founded by Underworld's Karl Hyde and Rick Smith.
It's possible we got the track wrong, but that mistake led to the game getting a cool name! Funny how things work that way - the zig-zag way of the universe. Anyway, I remember being chuffed to find both our names listed in the game's credits as a result.
Unfortunately, what wasn't expected was for the game to sell less copies than the slab of underground vinyl that preceded it. Talk about marketing really dropping the ball.
To me the continuing fascination with Rez is a strong indicator of just how little imagination flourishes in games design these days. I don't think Jeff Minter was TOO far off the mark when he commented that Rez is essentially Panzer Dragoon with trance pants on. And I say this with the greatest respect because I know that Mizuguchi's original vision was way beyond how the game turned out.
I remember that there were frustrations at UGA because when Sega's management couldn't really see 'a game' forming I think they brought in some director who cut his teeth at Konami - who unfortunately just didn't really 'get it'. So I got the sense that Rez was a very 'out there' concept of Mizuguchi's inspired by the kandisnky stuff, visually interpreted brilliantly by Yokota-san, but which perhaps got a little lost along the way. This was then tamed and dumbed down by cookie cutter-style sensibilities. At least it was made. I love the design and essence of the game, but I really think Mizuguchi should explore this idea properly in a sequel of sorts.
Rez, Rez, rez, Rez, rez. Now, if only I'd kept my original MD recording of the interview with the Underworld music - I could list it on ebay along with my JR train ticket stub from Meguro to Shibuya and the napkin that Mizuguchi used at dinner, which I covertly stashed in my bag. Any takers?
jerrymaguire
Member
it is sad but a lot of times, development _is_ like that and i know exactly what he means when he said, "party over". looking ahead with the nextgen stuff, even more companies will fall... depressing, but much prefered games development 10 years ago.
I didn't mean to diss the game. Far from it. But we should continue to expect more from our games than we are currently getting... I guess that's why I made the fanboy digs. The truth is though, there are so few games out there with an edgey / abstract / psychedelic feel to them we have to take what we can get. SO I get the obsession. I'm obsessed with how Rez looks and sounds. It's inspired my own creativity. And that's a good thing.
But perhaps more could have accomplished if Sega hadn't gotten concerned and controlling in their managing of the project - Jake, do you think Mizuguchi was biting off more than he could chew (conceptually)?
But perhaps more could have accomplished if Sega hadn't gotten concerned and controlling in their managing of the project - Jake, do you think Mizuguchi was biting off more than he could chew (conceptually)?
MassiveAttack
Banned
sriyantra said:
Sadly, just getting Rez greenlighted in any form would be considered a massive accomplishment at any of the major US publishers. The Katamari Damacy presentation at GDC was packed to the rafters because people love the game but also because everyone was curious as to how the producer managed to convince Namco to let him develop it.
Games such as Rez, Katamari, Ico, Panzer Dragoon Saga, Phantom Dust and Psychonauts inspire awe and reverence largely due to the fact that so much of the industry is creatively starved and emotionally defeated by the very broken finance and publishing models of the industry as a whole. For next-generation, the window of opportunity will continue to become narrower as hardware power grows larger and commensurately, PD budgets increase.
Fumito Ueda spoke of the need for games without "photo-reality" but "emotional reality" but precious few game developers will ever get the chance or opportunity or support to develop games that are not dictated by market research, focus groups and demographic and statistical analyses. We must embrace Rez, whatever its shortcomings, and hope that people like Mizuguchi, Ueda, and Tim Schafer find ways to continue pushing forward against the tide.
DCharlie
And even i am moderately surprised
Just to be anal, i think it's the other way round - Cowgirl is a variation of Rez (which predates Cowgirl by quite a bit i believe). Actually, i'm wondering given the build up of the Rez/Cowgirl track on "Everything Everything' if that's what they were actually using.
(Rez was the Baccardi Breezers ad tune in the UK around ... christ... 91-92??)
Actually - i saw Underworld the new years before i came to Japan, and they did Rez/Cowgirl as an encore. It was the most awesome thing i've seen them do. They left the stage and left one of the synths just buzzing out this one note. After a while they came back out - the one note just buzzing out constantly. A bit of tweaking and it becomes two notes. Then three. Tempo is gradually going up. After about 5 minutes, this is starting to build into the Rez synth line and people start going nuts. Tempo goes up and the line is complete, and we're off - then it's into Cowgirl. Sounds utterly dull, but it was pretty crazy.
"And we all went mental..... and danced"
(i've seen underworld, what? 10 times? in my life. The ONE TIME i failed to go and see them when i had the chance and they do Dirty Epic... fer fucksake. I just want to see em do it once!)
yeah, you're right. Rez is the older track by miles. So it's the other way round. Still don't know what version / edit we heard when we played the Rez demo though!
UNderworld live were mindblowing. truly off the charts. I've seen them a few times live - Lakota (club in Bristol) Glastonbury (in the mud), Tribal Gathering 95, Big Love 96, and then Tribal Gathering again I think. Oh, and Brixton Academy and the Warfield in San Francisco. Jesus. 6 or 7 times.
They just had an awesome big sound - melodic, warm, dark & long...
And anyone who doesn't have 'Dubnnobasswithmyheadman' is missing out on one of the greatest albums ever. just beautiful. Dirty Epic is perhaps the best thing they ever did.
Did you ever hear Rick Smith's remix of Cool Kids of Death by St Ettiene. That one escaped me until a year or so ago - just beautiful. That guy was a genius. My favorite band ever (follwed by leftfield and orbital)
UNderworld live were mindblowing. truly off the charts. I've seen them a few times live - Lakota (club in Bristol) Glastonbury (in the mud), Tribal Gathering 95, Big Love 96, and then Tribal Gathering again I think. Oh, and Brixton Academy and the Warfield in San Francisco. Jesus. 6 or 7 times.
They just had an awesome big sound - melodic, warm, dark & long...
And anyone who doesn't have 'Dubnnobasswithmyheadman' is missing out on one of the greatest albums ever. just beautiful. Dirty Epic is perhaps the best thing they ever did.
Did you ever hear Rick Smith's remix of Cool Kids of Death by St Ettiene. That one escaped me until a year or so ago - just beautiful. That guy was a genius. My favorite band ever (follwed by leftfield and orbital)
DCharlie
And even i am moderately surprised
The weird thing is , I saw underworld play Tokyo out at the Messse just after Darren left, and i was the only time i ever saw them and thought "oh shit, they are going down hill."
They showcased a load of new material and it just fell flat. What didn't help them was that Orbital were utterly amazing before them. They did a set that seemed purposely built for the Japanese (almost everything remixed to a more a more punky edge) in fact, the version of one of the thier songs forced them to stop the concert for 5 minutes because the Japanese went utterly f*cking nuts!
Again, i've seen Orbital several times and love them to death, but that set was just so good, and so different, that even Underworld couldn't follow it.
Orbital R.I.P.
They showcased a load of new material and it just fell flat. What didn't help them was that Orbital were utterly amazing before them. They did a set that seemed purposely built for the Japanese (almost everything remixed to a more a more punky edge) in fact, the version of one of the thier songs forced them to stop the concert for 5 minutes because the Japanese went utterly f*cking nuts!
Again, i've seen Orbital several times and love them to death, but that set was just so good, and so different, that even Underworld couldn't follow it.
Orbital R.I.P.
MassiveAttack
Banned
DCharlie said:The weird thing is , I saw underworld play Tokyo out at the Messse just after Darren left, and i was the only time i ever saw them and thought "oh shit, they are going down hill."
They showcased a load of new material and it just fell flat. What didn't help them was that Orbital were utterly amazing before them. They did a set that seemed purposely built for the Japanese (almost everything remixed to a more a more punky edge) in fact, the version of one of the thier songs forced them to stop the concert for 5 minutes because the Japanese went utterly f*cking nuts!
Again, i've seen Orbital several times and love them to death, but that set was just so good, and so different, that even Underworld couldn't follow it.
Orbital R.I.P.
I've been a massive Orbital fan for 15 years but I'll admit that the last 3 Orbital albums were a rather epic fall from grace. In Sides remains the last of Orbital's true works of genius.
DCharlie
And even i am moderately surprised
yeah, there are the odd points when they seem to get it back (i loved "Funny Break") , but it has been a bit of a downward trend.
Izzy :
Doot Doot, anything related to Beneath the Radar and Change the Weather has been erased from my mind...
IT NEVER HAPPENED.
Orbital indeed were amazing. And I agree that Insides is their best album. Just awesome.
I bought their last album 'Blue' and it was mostly crud apart from the incredible orchestral opening track which I thought was as good, if not better, then anything they've ever done.
Orbital AND Underworld R.I.P, no? or did i get ahead of myself again?
I bought their last album 'Blue' and it was mostly crud apart from the incredible orchestral opening track which I thought was as good, if not better, then anything they've ever done.
Orbital AND Underworld R.I.P, no? or did i get ahead of myself again?
MassiveAttack
Banned
sriyantra said:
Orbital R.I.P. for sure. One of the Hartnoll brothers is supposedly recording a solo album. I'm not entirely sure about Underworld.
FortNinety
Member
jkooXL said:
Sorry for the lateness everyone, I had a lot of business to attend to (including a stop at the new Nintendostore's VIP opening event... I have some pics for that later):
FortNinety
Member
I have an additional vid, but it was passed along from Gamestop, from the paid member area, and I would assume that it would be a serious breach of the TOS if I were to post it.
But anyway, there is a vid that shows Miz and crew playing with a very early work in progress of the game that we are most familiar with. It was from his GDC presentation two years ago, that should help with the search.
But anyway, there is a vid that shows Miz and crew playing with a very early work in progress of the game that we are most familiar with. It was from his GDC presentation two years ago, that should help with the search.