Comments on: GDC: Nintendo’s Iwata on Iterative Prototypes, Teaching Programmers Rhythm

By: Kirk

Kirk — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 06:21:34 +0000

I’ve thought exactly like this for years and believe in all the same design principles and so on.

It’s just a pity no one actually listens to me.

By: Dancing and songwriting | Key Of Grey

Dancing and songwriting | Key Of Grey — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 05:50:38 +0000

[...] 7th, 2009 – Last week, CreateDigitalMusic had a post about Nintendo’s presentation at the Game Developers Conference and one thing in particular [...]

By: Peter Kirn

Peter Kirn — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 17:49:12 +0000

@Flea: yes, this is why you probably don’t want to buy a Nintendo encyclopedia product. ;)

Actually, both inventions have a pretty complex history (Theremin even had his own TV system). I’d credit the jet engine to the UK.

But TV, a British invention? Not sure that’s as clear cut. Modern television technology in a form we’d recognize (i.e., all-electronic) is generally attributed to Farnsworth, who is definitely an American. Then the problem is, the *invention* was before the Depression. On the other hand, Bell Labs was a hoppin’ place during the Depression, and the fact that TV was popularized in the Depression – even if invented first – still sort of holds up Iwata’s argument.

I’m just surprised (looking at Wikipedia, because I don’t actually know that much) that the Turks lay early claim to the jet engine and Hungary the television, so it’s definitely not all about the U.S. of A.

By: Flea

Flea — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 16:51:28 +0000

The jet engine and television were both British inventions.

By: what would the captain do

what would the captain do — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:41:49 +0000

yeah I appreciate this kind of story – it seem slike as the music tech community is developing a focus on understanding the creative process is becoming ,ore and more important to us. Far more so than some of my traditional musical colleagues. It always interesting to unpack the process in other art forms such as this .

By: bliss

bliss — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:05:48 +0000

Another good and inspiring read, Peter! :)

By: Cosmonaut

Cosmonaut — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:59:26 +0000

“I think this is actually an important issue, as many beginning developers of games and audiovisual works donâ€™t get primitive when doing early drafts, thus making it harder to make changes later. ”

This is something that is beginning to become harder and harder to teach to students. It’s really with no help from today’s media that form is being divorced from function. It’s such a basic aspect of design (in almost anything) that is just, almost turning into vapor.

I can’t tell you how many times over the years I’ve seen students trying to write their own comics, spending hours drawing their characters and obsessing over details, to tell me “i don’t know” when I ask about what the character does or what the story is about..