The 2018 Game Developer’s Conference will feature an exhibition called Alt.Ctrl.GDC dedicated to games that use alternative control schemes and interactions. Gamasutra will be talking to the developers of each of the games that have been selected for the showcase. You can find all of the interviews here.
Miyazaworks brings a pair of projects to Alt.Ctrl.GDC, with Shcocooococo VS having players use pump bottles to shoot down foes, and Scissors the that than allowing them to use giant scissors to cut incoming foes.
Takahiro Miyazawa spoke with Gamasutra about the pair of projects, looking to learn more about how the developer works to turn everyday household objects into controllers, seeing the play hidden in normal things.
What’s your name, and what was your role on this project?
My name is Takahiro Miyazawa. The role of our team is making games with unique and impressive controllers.
How do you describe your innovative controller to someone who’s completely unfamiliar with it?
I designed the game controllers for my games. Shcocooococo VS’s characters in the game are the same shape as the game controller (pump bottles). To give a sense of immersion in Scissors the that than, I tried to make the controller as close as possible to the size of the weapon in the game.
What’s the background of these games?
I made these games to exhibit at game shows like Alt.Ctrl.GDC. I really hope to provide my games for enjoyment, and to give exciting experiences in those places.
What development tools did you use to build Scissors the that than and Shcocooococo VS?
I am using Unity for Scissors the that than, and Shcocooococo VS was made by Raspberry-pi.
What physical materials did you use to make it?
The controller for Shcocooococo VS used empty pump bottles that I found in my house. Scissors the that than was made with plastic board.
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How much time have you spent working on the game?
I spent 3 or 4 months making each game.
How did you come up with the concept?
Every day, I am thinking about how to make interesting and unique games through personal belongings.The idea of using a pump bottle fit my idea very easily. However, normal scissors were too small for making a game from my idea, so I made the decision to create large scissors myself to fit my idea.
What challenges did you face in turning soap bottles into controllers? What made you want to do this?
Usually, soap bottles are made from a material that is too slippery, and it is very hard to use normal adhesive to attach parts. Also, I had to think about how to cut the bottles, too, because when I cut the bottle, it become very weak. So, I had to remake it three times to deal with these problems.
How did you design play around the inputs this controller was capable of?
From the conceptual stage, I hoped to make the game enjoyable for many players, from children to adults.So, I decided to make Shcocooococo VS a simple shooter game. The sensor of the controller reads the tilt and gets the value of pump’s position. Those systems made the characters of the game move smoothly.
Do you feel your unique controllers are more welcoming to players than standard controllers?
I think standard controllers are welcoming to all players, but I also believe that many players accept my controllers as unique experience of games, too.
How do you think standard interfaces and controllers will change over the next five or ten years?
I think almost every gamer will have a 3d-printer and they will make customize game controllers for each game in the future.