Trauma Center: Second Opinion

[Domstercool]

I was really looking forward to this at first, but I'm now kinda only semi looking forward. After hearing it's now more of a remake than a totally new game I'm some what disheartened by it. I'll probably still buy it, but I'm not as excited anymore.

[Dante]

More scans.

 

[Domstercool]

The Wii artwork makes the characters look somewhat more grown up, but man the blonde nurse looks scary now. She looks like she really wants to stare you out with those eyes.

[Dante]

Press release

 

Atlus press release - Trauma Center Wii/DS

August 8th, 2006

 

PAGING ALL GAMERS! ATLUS U.S.A., INC. ISSUES TWO TRAUMA CENTER TM ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Second Opinion Confirmed as Wii TM Launch Title; Under the Knife for Nintendo DS TM Receiving Second Re-Release

 

IRVINE, CALIFORNIA — AUGUST 4, 2006 — Atlus U.S.A., Inc., a leading publisher of interactive entertainment, today issued a prescription of good news for fans of the company’s best-selling and critically acclaimed Trauma Center series of medical drama simulations. First, Trauma Center: Second Opinion was confirmed as a launch title for Nintendo’s new, highly anticipated console—Wii, which is poised to take the video game world by storm in the fourth quarter of 2006. This robust “Wii-make”

of Under the Knife features new graphics and animation, new surgical implements and operation types, a second playable character with all-new missions, multiple difficulty modes for gamers of all skill levels, and a revised control system that takes full advantage of the revolutionary Wii Remote and Nunchuk-style controller.

 

In addition, thanks to a wave of demand triggered by the launch of the Nintendo DS Lite, Trauma Center: Under the Knife will receive a second re-release, to arrive at retail in mid-August. Under the Knife has been hailed by critics as “arguably the most compelling use of the touch screen yet [Modojo]…One of the most creative and entertaining experiences the DS has offered [GotNext].” Trauma Center: Under the Knife is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB for Blood, Mild Language, Mild Violence, and Partial Nudity. Trauma Center: Second Opinion has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

 

About Trauma Center

 

Heart surgery and tumor removal might look easy from the morphine end, but how do you think the doctor feels? Well, you’re going to find out! In Trauma Center, the patients’ lives are in your hands! You’ll experience all the drama we’ve come to expect from the medical field. So go ahead, toss on some scrubs and step into the O.R.—it’s time to play doctor.

[Goron_3]

Holy crap, it's definately confirmed for launch...

Damn, looks like I'll be picking between this and Super Swing Golf Pangya then! Also, the re-release sounds good to me because the game came out when the DS wasn't selling aswell as it is now, and now that the demand is there, it should sell really well, because it deserves it!

[Dante]

New scans

 

[Dante]

Interview by slicedgaming.

 

Surgery and the DS went hand in hand, thanks to the stylus control. Now with the Wii remote you'll be able to slice open organs with unprecedented precision. Tomm Hulett, the Project Lead on Trauma Center: Second Opinion/Trauma Center: Under the Knife for North American territories spoke to us about the new game, and the success of the first one.

 

 

Nick Schaedel: Everyone in Australia really wants Trauma Centre for the DS. Do you know why it's taking to so long to make it to the region? Are you distributing it yourselves, or is someone else in charge?

 

Tomm Hulett: I do not blame them for wanting to play Trauma Center - I think it's a fun game that everyone should have a chance to experience. Unfortunately, Atlus USA only distributes titles in North America, so I'm not in a position to make that happen. I know that Nintendo is publishing the European version, but I was recently informed that Australian distribution has to be handled by entirely different companies? I'm not really sure how the publishing side of things works. I do hope it reaches you guys, though. I'm sure you'd enjoy it.

 

NS: How gratifying is it to know that there is such high demand for a title for which there is really no precedent? You recently announced that more units would be manufactured and distributed in the US by July - do you know how many copies you've sold now?

 

TH: We've been ordering more units of the game ever since it was first released. I'm not allowed to give out actual figures, but it was our best-selling title last year, and one of our best selling overall.

 

NS: How supportive were Nintendo in developing a game concept unlike anything we've seen before?

 

TH: Nintendo doesn't take part in the third-party development process at all, but Trauma Center definitely came about because of the new freedom the Nintendo DS presented. Likewise, the new version of Trauma Center couldn't have been done on any console but the Wii - because both the Wii and DS really make the player feel like they're there, operating on patients. Nintendo clearly liked the concept as, like I mentioned earlier, Nintendo's European branch published the game in that territory.

 

NS: Now, what do you classify Trauma Centre: Second Opinion as? A sequel? Remake? Port? Can you explain to our readers the relationship between the DS and Wii titles of the game?

 

TH: Trauma Center: Second Opinion is a remake of the original game with a lot of new content added. The Wii version has all the content from the original, but also features several new stages with a new doctor character, and a re-done sixth chapter featuring an all-new storyline. The development team considers this the "perfect" vision of Trauma Center. It should be clear this is NOT a port - no assets were re-used, so all the artwork and graphics are new to the Wii version.

 

NS: Just when we thought that the DS was the only system that these games could ever star on, thanks to the stylus, out comes Nintendo with the Wii. How long has the project been in the works?

 

TH: They started planning out Trauma Center: Second Opinion around January of 2006.

 

NS: What are the basic gameplay mechanics that have made the transition to the Wii?

 

TH: Since it's a remake, you can obviously do all the things you could do in the DS version. You still select tools, and then instead of a stylus, you're operating with the Wii Remote. There are a lot of cool things that can be done now. For example, in the original you would select forceps (tweezers) and just point with the stylus... But now, you hold down both the A and B buttons on the Remote (just like pinching tweezers) in order to grip the object.

 

NS: How is the Wiimote used in the game? Does the speaker play a part?

 

TH: Like I said above, the Wii Remote is used similarly to the stylus was in the original game, but in some new and inventive ways. You'll have to move it toward or away from your television, and also rotate it from side to side in certain instances. Unfortunately there won't be anything taking advantage of the speaker inside the remote, but that would have been cool.

 

NS: What art style is the team aiming for with Second Opinion? Is it going to be stylised, or is the target more realism?

 

TH: The original DS game was very anime-styled. For the Wii version, the team went for a more realistic look for all the characters, though they could still probably be considered "anime" in general, it's much more of a mature look. The operation scenes (the ones inside human bodies) look a lot cooler graphically, in my opinion, but they still aren't disgusting or anything, so squeamish gamers should still be able to enjoy Trauma Center.

 

NS: Are there any plans to allow co-op operations? Multiplayer? Online play/downloads?

 

TH: Nope, Trauma Center is still a single-doctor experience. Though, if you really wanted to play it as a team, you could have one person be the "nurse" and hold the nunchuk to select tools, while the other person played "doctor" with the Wii Remote. Then you'd have to ask for the scalpel and bandages from your "nurse."

NS: Is there any feature or aspect of the game that the team is particularly proud of?

 

TH: Well, for this game, the developers in Japan actually asked for our input on some ideas for the Wii version. I had a lot of input into the control scheme, so I'm proud about how that came out. It's a lot of fun to play and you eventually don't even have to think about which tool you're selecting -you just do it automatically (unless of course you're having a friend play nurse). But, I also went over the English script again and made sure it was as good as possible - so hopefully players will enjoy the storyline even more than the original game.

 

Sliced Gaming would like to thank Tomm and all the people at Atlus US for their time and effort.

[Dante]

No love for this game? :hmm:

[Tellyn]

No love for this game? :hmm:

 

What did I tell you about posting when you have no news?

[Bluejay]

No love for this game? :hmm:

I would be interested, but the DS game is too damn hard for me. I can't see the wiimote making it any easier, especially as my hand shakes a lot.

[solitanze]

I'll most likely purchase this game seeing that i've never played or seen the DS game, but it won't be until i've gotten the essentials first [i.E. Zelda, Metroid, Mario etc]

[Dante]

IGN interview.

 

Atlus is bringing the first Wii-make to Nintendo's new console with Trauma Center: Second Opinion, an enhanced and in many ways brand new version of the now-classic DS operating room simulator. The game, which makes full use of the Wii-mote for pinpoint accuracy during surgery, is scheduled to launch with Wii later this year. We recently chatted with project lead and localization master Tomm Hulett about the Second Opinion. Check out our full interview below - and don't miss a handful of fresh, high-resolution screenshots.

 

 

IGN Wii: What's behind the name Trauma Center: Second Opinion?

 

Tomm Hulett: Well, the Japanese name for the series is "Caduceus," so clearly we came up with our own title for the original game, Trauma Center: Under the Knife. This made naming the sequel a bit of a challenge, since we wanted something just as "clever" as Under the Knife, which also communicated that this was the second game in the series. I was struggling to come up with anything when my wife said "How about Second Opinion?" Well, that seemed like the only logical choice, so everyone at Atlus debated with other names like "Trauma Center: Relapse" and such being suggested. In the end, "Second Opinion" was just the best choice. It immediately implies certain features, like the second playable doctor, a second look at the storyline, etc.

 

IGN Wii: Great. You've referred to the game as a "Wii-make." Would you consider it a port?

 

Tomm: This seems to be causing a lot of confusion because I don't think people really all have the same definition of "port." A port is like, say, MGS2: Subsistence for Xbox, where an existing game is reprogrammed to work on a different platform than it originally appeared on. Some new content might be added, but the two games are virtually identical (barring hardware differences). Ports would be like Mortal Kombat back in the day, RE4 for PS2, or GTA: Liberty City Stories for PS2. Those are ports. A remake is like MGS: Twin Snakes, where an existing game is entirely rebuilt -- the story is the same, but voices are re-recorded, graphics are recreated, music is redone, etc.

 

In a remake, the engine is entirely new code, not just modified code from another version of the game. Remakes would be Final Fantasy III DS, Lunar: SSSC, or Mega Man Powered Up. Trauma Center is a Wii-make, not a port. It features new operations with a new playable character, an entirely new 6th chapter that replaces the previous game's chapter six, and some new tools.

 

 

IGN Wii: So the storyline is more or less the same?

 

Tomm: As I said above, the sixth chapter is entirely new, and there are a number of missions before that point which are also unique to the Wii version. As for the returning chapters, I went over all that text and tightened it up, as well as tied it into the new stuff so everything felt cohesive and natural. The new doctor adds a new dimension to the plot, and I think the new sixth chapter is far more interesting than that of the original game.

 

IGN Wii: The sci-fi elements from the DS build are back?

 

Tomm: Since the overall plot deals with the same things, yes you'll still be dealing with GUILT, the super-virus. But, I think the new sixth chapter is a lot more grounded in reality / interesting than liberating the boat was in the original game. So there are still crazy sci-fi elements, but I think it makes more sense in context on Wii than it did on DS.

 

IGN Wii: The DS title featured a linear storyline covered in chapters, like a book. Will Second Opinion allow for storyline branching -- changing based on your surgical achievements or failures?

 

Tomm: The plot still works similarly to the DS version with linear chapters. However, the new operations can be tackled chronologically as they appear, or you can complete "Derek's" game first, and then go back and play the new doctor stuff. Not very detailed branching, but branching nonetheless.

 

IGN Wii: In the DS version of the game, you drew a star really quickly to perform the Healing Touch. Does the Wii version have anything like this?

 

Tomm: You can still perform the Healing Touch to aid in your operations. You hold down a button on the Nunchuk and a button on the Remote, then draw a star to activate it. However, the new doctor's Healing Touch works entirely differently than Dr. Stiles "time slowing" power. All I can say right now is that the new doctor can "manipulate body energy" using the Healing Touch.

 

IGN Wii: What new surgical tools do you gain access to in the Wii version?

 

Tomm: I think the coolest new tool is the Defibrillator. It just seemed like a natural fit for the Wii, so we really argued for its inclusion. You move your controllers forward to place the paddles on the patient, then you see a voltage meter. You have to press the Z Button and B Button at the same time when the voltage is at the right level.

 

IGN Wii: What procedures and tools have been carried over from the DS version? How have the controls changed for the Wii build?

 

Tomm: Most of the tools from the DS version also appear in this game. They control mostly how you'd expect on the Wii, my personal favorite being the forceps, which you obviously use to pick up objects or move delicate body parts. Once you select the forceps, you grab things by holding down the A and B Buttons simultaneously -- just like if you were using them in real life (pinching). I think that's the most natural-feeling returning tool. The "Scanner" returns also with its magnification/ultrasound capabilities. In the original game, you could only use one at a time, but in this game you can actually use them both (B Button controls one, A Button the other). Also, rest assured that the magnification is now just a button press--you won't need to draw a million tiny circles trying to make it work.

 

IGN Wii: Nice! That's a relief. One thing the Wii-mote enables that was not possible on the DS is movement in 3D space. Are you taking advantage of this in Trauma Center? For example, is it possible to accidentally stab someone deeper by pushing forward on the Wii-mote?

 

Tomm: There are operations which take advantage of the forward/back motion of the Wii Remote, most notably the Defif, as I mentioned above, but it's also important in some other procedures. However, it doesn't gauge the depth of your stab or anything, which is probably a good thing since there will be people playing Second Opinion who have never picked up a videogame before in their lives. It might be pretty frustrating if too much pressure on the controller stabbed the patient to death. But, if they ever make another Wii version, that might be a pretty cool idea to increase the realism.

 

IGN Wii: Will the controller rumble while you operate?

 

Tomm: The controller does rumble while you operate and I think that's really what sets this version apart from the DS version. The big advantage on DS of course was that you were actually making contact with the "patient" so it felt really real. But, a stylus can't have force feedback. I know people were worried if the Wii's controls would make this version feel "weird" because you were far away from the patient, but I think the rumble features really make a difference. Whether you're making an incision or stretching a bandage over the incision, you feel it. That's one of my favorite features of the game.

 

IGN Wii: Are you using the nunchuck attachment for anything in the game?

 

Tomm: The nunchuk is how you select your tools in this version of the game. Every direction corresponds to a tool (listed in the lower left) and you just select that direction to equip the tool. This makes operating a lot faster than the original, where you had to stop what you were doing and select an icon with the stylus. Also, if you want to create your own two-player mode, you could give the nunchuk to a friend or family member and have them play "nurse." You can call out the tool you need and then they select it, just like a real doctor.

 

IGN Wii: Does the game feature character voice work?

 

Tomm: Like the original, voices are limited to callouts during the operation such as "Don't do that!" or "Vitals are dropping!" This is still the case in Second Opinion, though there's 10 times more voice than there was in the original. So, you'll hear a lot of different things as you play. Derek Stiles also has a voice now, so you'll hear from him periodically too.

 

IGN Wii: Does the title run in progressive scan mode?

 

Tomm: That's up to the developer in Japan, I honestly don't know yet. We have tried it with component though, and that provides a nice crisp picture.

 

IGN Wii: Does it support a 16:9 mode?

 

Tomm: There is no widescreen mode. For this game, that would require a lot of programming because the screen is your entire playing field. So you'd either end up with a "fake" widescreen mode where there's some superfluous new background, or the different operations would have be reprogrammed to take advantage of that extra space resulting in two different games depending on your TV size.

 

IGN Wii: Is Atlus considering an online mode for the game? Will the title take advantage of Nintendo's WiiConnect24 downloadable service?

 

Tomm: As you know (http://wii.ign.com/articles/728/728041p1.html), many Wii developers are not including Wi-Fi support at this time. Trauma Center is no different.

 

IGN Wii: How have the visuals in Trauma Center: Second Opinion been improved?

 

Tomm: Like I said earlier, the graphics have all been entirely redone with the Wii in mind instead of the DS. So the character graphics are redrawn and higher res, the backgrounds are big and beautiful, and your play area is far larger. The organs and "innards" look more realistic, though they've still avoiding making the game gory or disgusting, so if you're squeamish, don't be afraid to pick TC up and give it a try. I'm sure you won't get sick.

 

 

IGN Wii: How do you think the overall controls in comparison to the DS version?

 

Tomm: The controls were the number one concern I had going in. Primarily because two months before the game's announcement, I had already said in an interview that I thought the controls couldn't be done better than they were on DS. Oops. Well, I'm here to say that I am reformed -- I think the rumble-enhanced tools as they appear on the Wii are great, and really help to immerse you in the O.R. Using the nunchuk to switch tools makes operating a LOT faster and you eventually learn which direction is what tool and you don't even have to look anymore. Overall, I think the Wii version has the edge over the DS. I'm sure fans will fall into two camps on which version is the "best," but they're missing out if they don't at least try it on the Wii. Each version has its pluses and minuses. The DS allows you to "touch" your patient, and you can play it anywhere. But, the Wii version has rumble which makes you "feel" like you're operating, and all you hardcore fans can deck out your entire living room like an O.R. and force family members to observe proper sterilization procedures.

 

IGN Wii: How long would you estimate the game is?

 

Tomm: That really depends on what difficulty mode you play at (there are three!) and how good you are at the game. Overall it's probably about 130% the size of the original game, so if you've finished that you have your time estimate. Newcomers will easily find 20 to 30 (or more) hours of play in the game, depending. Of course, there are always those unlockable bonus missions...

 

IGN Wii: Sweet. Finally, do you have any closing comments for fans interested in the Wii version of the game?

 

Tomm: I know there's been some concerns from fans after news that it was a Wii-make got out on the Internet. So, please rest assured there is a lot of new stuff to experience in Second Opinion. The new chapter really gives you a lot more plot to chew on, you have a new doctor, new procedures, and a new method of input (the Wii Remote) so even the old operations don't feel the same way. You've got difficulty modes so your family members can give it a shot, but also that new "Hard" mode if you don't feel challenged enough. The developers have said they consider this the "definitive" version of Trauma Center, and I have to agree… and totally not just because I had time to iron out embarrassing patches in my English script. We all know one dose of Trauma Center wasn't enough so why not get a Second Opinion?

 

[Hellfire]

I absolutely love those drawings, need to find out who the artist is.

[Shino]

I love high resolution anime, and those organs look glossy in a really cool way.

[Blue_Ninja0]

I love the style of those organs. Look like made of glass. I bet a lot of people are disapointed because they won't happen to see blood and guts.

[xernobyl]

It looks SO hentai... I hope you can use your medical charm to get them naked and stuff.

[Dante]

New screenshots.

 

[Jamba]

Hmm i don't have this on DS so i might get it for the Wii. Thing is, will it be much more of a game?

[Dante]

New Scans.

[dabookerman]

Helllooooooo Nurse

[Dante]

Helllooooooo Nurse

 

I think she is a doctor.

[Guest Stefkov]

saw a friend play the ds version in college today, and it has fueled my desire for this game. I think i might have to get it for Ds and Wii.

I looked so tense and good.. pulling out shards of glass from some guys heart.

[Shino]

Thank god for Rule 34.

[ShadowV7]

I'm getting this at launch,only played the DS demo of ti and loved it.I'm looking forward it!

[blender]

i hope you get to do plastic surgery and get to see the results of your sucess or failure