PSM3 caught up with Shingo 'Seabass' Tanaka at GamesCom to ask him the questions you submitted on this very blog about a month ago. Here's what he had to say. It's a must-read for any PES fan, as Seabass talks about improvements, motion-control and the things PES does better than FIFA. Want more? Check out PSM3 issue 119 (on sale 30 September) where we exclusively review PES 2010, and review FIFA 10 in the same magazine.
PSM3: What was the motivation for officially involving the community/fans this time, compared to previous years?
Seabass: It's been our 3rd year now on PS3. We are a little bit more stable now so we thought it was perfect timing to open our ears and listen to our fans finally. We have been in quite a crisis over the last couple of years because we were so busy internally but now we are a little bit more relaxed and with more time on our hands, it was time to listen to the people that matter, the fans. However it;s very important that this is not a one-off and that we continue to do this.
PES 2010 - the best PES yet?
PSM3: Which do you think of as more important: listening to the fan feedback, or hitting your own specific goals?
Seabass: Well actually that's a very good question. The team creates the core first. We set out to make it a simulation style game for the people of Europe to enjoy and that is our duty as a team. Every time we create the game, in the past we would just do the actions of the players and then we build up from there using the actions that we have created, but this year we have done it a little differently where we first set a goal and then work with our fans through feedback and opinions.
PSM3: Have you and your team ever thought that a PES title every year is too much on next-gen and that by having a game every 2 years, you and your team could address certain issues that need addressing and in turn, you would have more time to work on these issues?
Seabass: Yes you're right especially since we have gone into the next-gen console market. We have loads of things we want to do and ideally bringing out a game every 2 years is something that would help us. However we believe that one game per year is the best option as that's something the fans want to see and with the innovation that we have achieved just with PES 2010 alone, I cant see us as a team not making a game every year.
PSM3: Do you have any plans to expand the managerial options within PES? As a lot of fans want to see this happen.
Seabass: In PES 2010 we improved the strategy side of things, which include the 'sliders' and the 'card system' and I think this is a nice first step in making bigger strides into the management arena. For the first time, the management mode has enough depth that you can change the type of style you want your team to play, and also your player's individual style as well. Of course this is just a small step towards what we want to achieve. There have been some collisions between the manager options and the actual gameplay during development. However with both the sliders and the card system in place, we eventually managed to get a perfect mix of the two. This is just the start of what's to come for this mode as we have big plans for the future.
PSM3: Many fans have been talking about this for a while, do you think that we will see a Master League implemented into PES online?
Seabass: Yes, we have been thinking about this for a very long time actually but unfortunately it isn't in PES 2010. We have added the Champions League online for PES 2010 and we have also expanded the community mode online, as we know that this is something the fans wanted. We are still exploring the online side but a Master League Online is definitely something we would like to include in future versions of PES.
PSM3: Are there any plans to bulk-up the way set-pieces happen?
Seabass: Yes. We think that set-pieces play a very important part in games, in the same way management does. We have plans to do this and its one of the things that is top of our list and something that a lot of fans want to see happen. Of course the other tactical aspects will improve the game but this is for sure, something we want to improve.
PSM3: What part of the development of PES 2010, did you find the most challenging?
Seabass: Well the most difficult part, I would say, is that we didn't want to take away the attacking experience but at the same time, we wanted to change the balance so that the matches don't turn out 4-4 or 5-5 like they have done in previous games. It was very difficult to get the balance just right but I feel we have. Also another was balancing the superstar players. We had to work out how players would be able to stop stars like Messi or Christano Ronaldo. The answer was that, through the sliders and cards, we built in options for more strategic defences that can make sure that players of this quality can be stopped. I would say that this is the main thing that was challenging for me and my team as we needed to get the balance just right.
PSM3: What is it that you think that will separate PES 2010 and FIFA 10 this year?
Seabass: I went down to the EA booth and played FIFA 10 and it's a good game. However, if you look at the defending for example, there were a lot of instances where the ball carrier ended up one-on-one with the defender and this is something that does not work well with the way real football is played. Our goal this year with PES 2010 was to make the defending side of things actually feel like the defenders are keeping their shape and working as a team. In PES 2010 we have gone for the 'Zone defending' style so its not one to one if you defend or attack. When you are defending you don't always have to attack the ball carrier and its sometimes better to delay the ball carrier as much as possible so that your midfield players can get the tackles in and we feel this is a more realistic approach
PSM3: With the Wii version of PES being a success using motion-sensing technology, and with the likes of both Sony and Microsoft developing motion-controlled hardware, do you think that this could be used in a future iteration of PES?
Seabass: Yes we have thought about it and we were thinking about how we could implement it into a future version of PES. The good thing about football is that you can use this technology to create some great teamwork within the game and it unlocks an added dimension to movement. Motion controlled technology is a very interesting thing indeed. At the moment though, I'm just experimenting with the technology and it's at a very, very early stage. So at the moment, there is no definite answer to whether I will use this technology for PES in the future.
That's your lot - hope you enjoyed it.
Reader request! Now you've had some PES love from us, it's time to give a little back. We want to know what you think of both the PES 2010 and FIFA 10 demos that went up on PSN recently. How do they compare? Is one clearly better than the other? Are you thinking of changing camps this year? Tell us now.
Finally, apologies for the lack of blogs. We've just come off the deadline from hell. To make it up to you we've made a radical change to the mag that EVERYONE will enjoy and benefit from. Really. We teased it on the Forums a couple of weeks ago, and it has come to fruition. What is it? You'll find out on 30 September...
'Til the next time, have a great weekend,
PSM3
