A portion of a SEM interview with Kenichiro Yuji…
SEM: How do you come up with stories or gameplay ideas? Is there anything in particular that you do to keep your mind creative?
Kenichiro Yuji: The story was not my doing, as that was handled by the scenario writers. As for gameplay ideas, I usually ask myself two questions: “what do I want the player to do” and “how do I want the player to enjoy the game.” Then I try my best to define the answers to these questions. This is definitely the hardest part. Once I’m satisfied with the answers, I try to devise a game system that fit within the applicable parameters, using my past game design experience. All that’s left to do is create the actual game. Experience and good research are your two assets in this phase for creating a high-quality final product, as time is a factor.
When it comes to keeping my mind creative… I play a lot of games. Just playing them, though, isn’t enough. I try to keep an eye out for elements within those games that answer the two questions I’ve mentioned above. The greater the variety of ideas you have, the more you can reference when you are in game production.
Original post:
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King - interview
