Iwata interviews Wii development team Part 2 & 3

small tac · September 9, 2006

Following decoded by Reader Okok of GoNintendo

“The Design That Nobody Hates”

Mr.Takamoto is in charge of the structure of Wii console and Wiimote. Wii’s smallness — “the size of three DVD cases” — is one of the great feature of Wii console. Actually, Mr.Iwata was stacking three DVD cases, and said “I want Wii to be small like this”. Mr.Takamoto got bewildered rather than amazed. At first, he couldn’t understand why he have to make Wii such a small machine, but he was getting it gradually. Wii should be “unobtrusive presence” in living room. There are a lot of audio-video equipments around the TV, and Wii have to set near the TV because of the pointing device of Wiimote. Spaces between TV and AV equipments are very limited, so he understood that Wii have to be small. “The size of 2 DVD cases” was impossible, but they achieved “the size of 3 DVD cases”.

Mr.Takamoto told that The hardest thing was disc drive, which have to be almost the same width of one DVD case. If disc drive became thinner, it became more breakable. There are a lot of earlier age users, so Nintendo have a very strict standard. After a lot of trials and errors, they finally got it by internal reinforcing pad.

He also told that they strained at using slot-in drive. If they decided to use GameCube-like disc drive (opening the top to change discs), the width of the drive could be thinner, the cost could be cheaper, and the decay durability be better. But, as he said before, the space near TV is very limited, so they thought that Wii-users feel more comfortable by using slot-in for changeing discs.

Mr.Ashida is in charge of the design of the Wii console, the Wiimote, the package and the logo. They don’t want to make it like a mad woman’s breakfast around the TV. Not only the matter of size but also shape. Nintendo64 had a lot of curves in its shape, so it was difficult to find the place to set it. On the other hand, the design of GameCube was “the design of toy”. From SNES, the designs of Nintendo’s console was like a toy, and this was intentional attempt. But the average of the ages of users has changed, he feels that the balance between the “toy-like” design and the “AV-equipment-like” design is very important. The keywords are, “the design that nobody hates”. Not a toy, not a AV equipment, they want Wii to be a kind of interior accessories. Mr.Ashida decided to form Wii-design team. The designs of Nintendo console used to pruduced by one designer, but this time, he consulted widely with young designers inside Nintendo.

The turing point was the idea of the stand. Young desiner produced the Wii’s stand, and it allows representing new shape by combine Wii with it. A few weeks before E3(2005), Mr.Ashida and his team finishd this design. At the first presentation to Mr. Iwata, they got the go-ahead. Then, the design was made in public at E3, and Mr.Ashida was very, very surprized because he

didn’t know that the design was to be displayed at E3 2005.

*translation by Okok from gonintendo, modified by smalltac to correct grammer

Precisely, Because We Have a Clear Goal, We Can Creat Wii

Iwata :?This interview makes me feel invigourised. Setting a goal is very important, even though when the goal is one that has not been attempted before.

Takeda: That’s right. Without firm concepts, Wii wouldn’t become like this.

Takamoto: From my point of view as a structure designer, without the consepts of “the width of 2 or 3 DVD cases” and the early exposure of the Wii design at E3(2005), Wii couldn’t be small like this.

Ashida: When the members of our design team were discussing the blue pilot lamp, Takeda came and said aggressively “there should be a blue pilot lamp.” (laughs)

Takeda: It was received very well at E3…

Ashida: We managed to put the blue lamp into the slit inside the machine.(laughs)

Iwata: Precisely because we have a goal, Wii become like this. If there is a goal that we want to reach, it is better to head toward the goal rather than improve specs simply.

Takamoto: We couldn’t achive “as fanless as possible” without a goal, too. the heat value depends on IC chips, heat liberation depends on the design of the console… But there were a clear goal - fanless at night.

Iwata: I insisted on that, because I want Wii to be “the machine that never sleeps”. I think that when a mother hears the noise of a fan running, she would pull out the electric plug.(laughs)

Shioda: I am in charge of the semiconductor chips, and “fanless” was the hardest hurdle. On planning IC chips, some parts cannot be figured out if this is good plan or bad plan before manufacturing that chips, and there is a large time-gap between planning the archutecture and manufacturing them. We couldn’t simply do “trial and error”. Of course, we could simulate the chips by using IC development tools, but the simulation result is not always the same as its actual result. After we manufacture them, we can finally figure out “this chip costs xx watt”. This kind of hardships is what I have never experienced before.

Iwata: When we produce a handheld machine, we always consider “low power consumption” . This is the first time we considered “low power consumption” of console machines, isn’t it?

Shioda: Yes. We managed it with the support of our handheld team and the IC chip company. There are also a lot of ideas which help achive a “low power consumption” sysytem as a whole. This was a very hard challenge, but Nintendo has the know-how to find ploblems and solve them speedy. I think that’s why we could managed this challenge.

Iwata: There also a distinct challenge; costs. Takeda, I think you have experienced hardships about this challenge, didn’t you?

Takeda: Yes. But Wii was’t going to be a “gourgeous” machine from the beginning, so the problem of cost wasn’t so big. But we spent more money for console parts which old Nintendo did’t spend money for, such as Wii’s stand and slot-in disc drive. As Ashida said before (in interview part2), Wii is not a toy, but a machine for all people in the house, so I think Wii’s appearance is very important. The matter of cost and apearance is always conflicting, though.(laughs)

Ashida: For example, We used to use bumpy plastic, which is cheaper and can endure scratches. But this time we use coated, high quality plastic. Nintendo will continue seeking for good texture of the future products.

Iwata: The texture of the gaming console has become more important, to put it simply.

Ashida: That’s right. Of course, it doesn’t mean “high-class”.?We are not aiming for cheapness,?we are aiming for the quality that everybody can use. Functionaliry and durability as a toy are important, “not-cheap” appearance is also important.

Takamoto: …Well, while the design team were seeking for quality, we, the structure team, were seeking for cost-down. This is always the case.(laughs)

Ashida: (laughs)

Takeda: And, when Takamoto and Ashida have a conflict, they bring it to me.

All: (laugh)

Iwata: After years of discussion, we can produce a pruduct. Interview is ending. Last words for people wating for Wii.

Shioda: Wii is already reported as a totally new gaming console, but playing is believing. I want you to touch and feel Wii console, and experience its freshness.

Takamoto: I want Wii to set at the center of the living room, and to be played by all people in the household.

Ashida: From my point of view as Wii’s designer…Set it vertically! With the Wii’s stand, please!

All: (laugh)

Takeda: Wii is the first machine that Nintendo can update its OS(Operating System). So, possiblity of Wii can be enlarged in the future. You can look forward to this feature, and I am very excited about it too.

Iwata: Thank you. Through this interview, I feel that all processes that we did are necessary things, not wastes. It may sounds strange, but I myself am very excited now.

Rick Dangerous · September 9, 2006

Cool, thanks for posting this. This kind of stuff interests me :geek: , never really read anything about the product design side of nintendo before.

Twilight · September 9, 2006

ItÂ´s really amazing how much better NintendoÂ´s designers have gotten in few years. Just compare GC or original DS to DSLite or Wii. :shock:

Hellfire · September 9, 2006

ItÂ´s really amazing how much better NintendoÂ´s designers have gotten in few years. Just compare GC or original DS to DSLite or Wii. :shock:

GC is one of the most stylish consoles ever in my opinion.

Dante · September 9, 2006

link

Following decoded by Reader Okok of GoNintendo

hmm & hmm

SpinesN · September 9, 2006

GC is one of the most stylish consoles ever in my opinion.

If you say so >.>

Ninty 182 · September 9, 2006

GC is one of the most stylish consoles ever in my opinion.

O.K I know opinions can't technically be wrong, but that is.

Zero Seven · September 9, 2006

The GC is my second top console in terms of how it looks as i think its very stylish due to the light when its turned on and the circular shiny part at the top of the GC

The Wii is the top console in terms of how it looks due to its sleek design and of course that sexy glow from its drive

small tac · September 9, 2006

hmm & hmm

I dont know if you are trying to be smart or what but that is the translation for part 1, not part 2.

Sarka · September 9, 2006

O.K I know opinions can't technically be wrong, but that is.

Well, what else is there to beat it? Apart from the DSLite I also think that the GC is the most stylish console released (the 360 maybe beats it). The Wii easily beats it though imo.

weeyellowbloke · September 9, 2006

GC is one of the most stylish consoles ever in my opinion.

Yeah, I would kind of go along with that to an extent, I love my wee purple box. However the Wii design is utter sexiness and definately the best of this generation, small and sleek beats big and beastly. An interesting read, means I appriciate the design all the more knowing the problems they had to overcome to get it, plus it's nice to know the thoughts behind the whole concept.

Hellfire · September 9, 2006

Pure sex

Of course Wii is the most awesomely designed console ever, but I really love GC's design.

DiemetriX · September 9, 2006

Why'O why Was the cube purple >_<

Hellfire · September 9, 2006

Why'O why Was the cube purple >_<

I like purple

weeyellowbloke · September 10, 2006

Why'O why Was the cube purple >_<

Hey, I liked the purple. Every new piece of technology that comes out seems to be a sterile and generic black, white or silver following a crappy trend for all gadgets to look futuristic and minimalist. It was refreshing to have something new with a bit of colour and character from the usual. That's why I hold out hope of getting some variation in colour for the Wii (not that the black and white Wii's look bad, but I wouldn't mind something a bit different, blue maybe).

Raven · September 10, 2006

thanks for that article smalltac. very nice. a good read.

umm. i think that the thinned down version of the ps2 was more stylish than the gamecube.

i have to admit when i first read Hellfires post on 'the gamecube being one of the more stylish consoles', i didnt think much of it. but then i began to think of the other consoles... and their general looks. in terms of design and overall 'sexiness', i would have to go:

Wii >> ps2(lite) > dreamcast > gamecube

the wii DOES look incredible. so incredible that i took the liberty to put it in bold font...

raven_blade2006 · September 10, 2006

Why'O why Was the cube purple >_<

That was a mistake that must never happen again. That is one major reason that killed it from the start in Western Countries. :hmm:

At least Wii is here now, following on from the new sleek DS Lite. Wii is light, small, sexy and attractive. Nintendo have finally learned how to design an attractive product. :love:

blender · September 10, 2006

part 3 is up at gonintendo

Helmsly · September 10, 2006

part 3 is up at gonintendo

Thanks for the heads up.

BTW if people had such an issue with the Cube being pruple, why didnt they buy a black one since both colours where availble at launch.

DiemetriX · September 10, 2006

not where I lived.