Treasure Developer and Director & Producer of "Radiant Silvergun".
Other examples of his work include Treasure's first hit title, "Gunstar
Heroes".
We've conducted a fax interview with the man who was in charge of producing this game, Hiroshi Iuchi! We asked about the game's production objectives and the inside story of it's development, and other topics such as his next project.
Q: Please explain how this project got started.
A: I wanted to make a shooting game. There's nothing else besides that.
Q: Does the title "Radiant Silvergun" carry any special meaning?
A: Translated directly, it means "Kagayakeru gin-jyu" (Radiant
Silvergun). Now that the product is finished, I can only answer that there
isn't any meaning. However, the very first idea featured people flying through
the sky, holding silver guns in each hand, so we were able to give it that
title. This received a lot of "It's difficult to remember!" opposition,
from inside and outside. But my philosophy is that if it's hard to remember,
it's hard to forget, so it was fortunately pushed through.
Q: Are there any references to other works?
A: As a game, it references to previous shooting games as a whole. The game
itself can be said to reflect "Image Fight". Other than games,
it references to quite a number of things, so I'll leave those out.
Q: Were there any difficult points in developing this game, and is there
any part you especially want people to see?
A: To say that part of it was difficult, is to say that everything
was difficult. There's nothing fun about making a game. "A part that
I especially want people to see?" In every interview, I've been answering
by saying "Nothing".
Q: You've made a very distinctive game system, were there any special aims
or thoughts about this?
A: I answer publicly by saying, "There's no use in making something
that's the same as something else," and "I wanted to make a classic-type
game," but regarding this question, there's a message in the game.
Please look for it.
Q: Do you have any game making principles that you can't compromise?
A: No, nothing special. The circumstances for the project change each time,
so… I have to also change myself, in various ways. Just before the
game is up and running, I'll say, "give us one more month! I can't
compromise this!" ...but I lose to the company. If I have a hope, speaking
principally, it's that I want to make something I like every time.
A: Your opinions on the details of the request to GONZO* for the movie, and it's
completion.
Q: The details of the request were "we asked before". Just kidding.
As you can see by watching the finished product, GONZO's quality is something
you can really trust. This time, my hat's off to Mr. Maeda's script, and
Mr. Mizushima's direction made me feel that he really understood this project.
I absolutely want to work with them again.
Q: What, in a word, is a shooting game?
A: Something to drool over.
Q: Any ideas for a sequel?
A: "This, well, it's not that I can't answer…" "What
kind of individual are you?" "Me? I'm…um, no, I won't do
it. Let's make the next one, the next one!!"
Q: Do you have a game you want to make, or a genre you want to try now?
A: Well, shooting is fine. It'll make me drool, you know. Except for erotic,
any genre is like, "OK! GO! GO!"
Q: Finally, please give a message to the fans of this game.
A: I hope everyone who's played Silvergun will find the message we've left
in the game. Also, please treasure many games for your Sega Mega Drive and
Saturn systems. A system's specs have nothing to do with what's needed for
a person to enjoy a game.
Thank you very much.
*GONZO: was the team that created this game's demo movie. Animation from the LUNAR series, Macross, and Silhouette Mirage are some examples of their work.
© 2004 Silver Translations