Itagaki talks DOA, thrashes DOA: Dimensions

Pointed out to us by @grap3fruitman and posted on popular gaming forum NeoGAF, Tomonobu Itagaki, our long-favorite and past DOA producer, had some recent words to share in regards to his thoughts on the current state of DOA and what he thinks of Team Ninja in their current state.

Let's just say, he didn't really have anythinig quite nice to say about DOA: Dimensions.

Here's what Itagaki had to say:

There are a couple points that we do seem to disagree on though, "user X".
You say that DOA5 was the start of the problems (or nightmare?), but I think it started with DOAimensions. I could sense it just minutes after turning the power on, and I immediately had to turn it off. Combos aren’t something that you do with a touch panel.

There is not an official publication of this discussion. The NeoGAF poster reports that this came from a Facebook reply to a user from Itagaki himself, dating back to about a month ago.

Read the full discussion over on NeoGAF.

 

There is not an official publication of this discussion. The NeoGAF poster reports that this came from a Facebook reply to a user from Itagaki himself, dating back to about a week ago.

 

This was mentioned and partially talked about in this thread http://www.freestepdodge.com/threads/doa5-and-sexualization-too-much.5041/

My response to it is in the thread, but yeah... Itagaki needs to sit down IMHO.

 

Well I met him ...
Had a sort of interview with him ...
will be writing it up soon .. we talked about DOA ... among other things.
but I gotta focus on a few real world things which Ive been putting off ..
Work related, flat related .. etc...

week or 2 maybe ? we'll see

 

I don't know if DOAD sold that well, but imo it was a great coup from TN to develop this game and I'm sure I'm not the only one who liked it :
- a lot of the people I know started to play DOA thanks to that episode, cause it was one of the first good games on 3DS, and the first fighting game actually
- the touch panel was optional, plus it was a good way to learn and remember the moves for casual or new players who weren't familiar with all the characters
- the free DLCs, the content, the story and the stages featured were great and it was a good marketing approach

DOAD was not 100% faithful to the serie (awful tag mode, few missing modes) but it was a great game and I still enjoy it. Personally, I really love this episode because it meants DOAD wasn't dead after all these years, it gave me hope for a real comeback and a fifth episode.

 

"Greater Love" What?! I'm gonna assume some stuff got left out or lost in translation. I'd like to know more about his views on the mechanical differences. The visuals while less inspired could be due to technical and budget limitations. The music was a complete disaster though, every video I see and even in tournaments everyone plays with doa2 music on..

 

This is quite old actually but Itagaki is loading that Arisaka type 99 rifle and firing some shots off at KT.

 

He needs to just be quiet. He's just pissed that he isn't developing DOA or Ninja Gaiden anymore. So he's throwing whatever plausible insults that he thinks is harsh enough to Team Ninja and Tecmo Koei. Had he ended the DOA series, it would be incomplete, and there would be alot of unhappy fans. I think the game is better off without him now IMO.

 

From what I understand, the sell and review rate of DOAD is the reason we even have a DOA5. Otherwise, it was going to be the final DOA game.

 

He needs to just be quiet. He's just pissed that he isn't developing DOA or Ninja Gaiden anymore. So he's throwing whatever plausible insults that he thinks is harsh enough to Team Ninja and Tecmo Koei. Had he ended the DOA series, it would be incomplete, and there would be alot of unhappy fans. I think the game is better off without him now IMO.

I can sympathize with him. DOA was his baby, his years long work, he made it a success. There was bad blood in the company and eventually they gave him the boot. Now they are continuing his project without him, after it was supposed to be finished with DOA4, and taking it to new directions. I'd be bitter too, very bitter...
And reading:

I think the game is better off without him now IMO.

I'd feel terrible and devastated...and I would probably like to punch such an ungrateful "fan" right in the face. *cough* >.>

 

MASTER? Where are you?

I have a feeling he's gonna question the validity of this.

 

It's interesting reading the responses in the GAF thread. You can tell who's a fighter and who isn't.

 

what are the odds of Itagaki leaking his DOA5 script. I'm curious what direction he went in.

 

I have a feeling he's gonna question the validity of this.

The comment is on Itagaki's official FB account as a comment. So I don't know what's "invalid" about it. Unless I'm misunderstanding your reference towards validity.

 

I can sympathize with him. DOA was his baby, his years long work, he made it a success. There was bad blood in the company and eventually they gave him the boot. Now they are continuing his project without him, after it was supposed to be finished with DOA4, and taking it to new directions. I'd be bitter too, very bitter...
And reading:

I'd feel terrible and devastated...and I would probably like to punch such an ungrateful "fan" right in the face. *cough* >.>

I know DOA was his project, and that he thought of the characters as his children, but why hate the series now? I don't doubt he had a good reason choosing to use Helena's ending as the end to the series, but that would've left unanswered questions..... what happened to Christie? Was Alpha 152 killed? Did Donovan get his in the end? Itagaki shouldn't slander the series just because the series didn't end in the way he expected, or because he can't work on the game anymore. He should at least be happy that the game's popularity is growing, and that his "children" have matured model-wise and somewhat personality wise into more detailed, more realistic characters.....and we finally have a character like Marie-rose, who would've NEVER happened had Itagaki stayed. And DOA Dimensions wasn't a fail...it attracted more fans, and filled in the missing plot points and made the story make more sense, something the series needed.

 

The original thread here that is linked was posted earlier this month but that conversation with Tomonobu Itagaki was made last month (Not last week). It was also covered here by one of the community's cosplayers
http://www.doaworld.com/forums/inde...oa-community/cosplayer-katti-chan-speaks-r800

http://www.doaworld.com/forums/inde...ommunity/cosplayer-katti-chan-speaks-r800What
what they quoted on T.I. was true, he did say that and I remember reading it and soon after I had quick discussion with him. I think the touch screen for combos was probably the easiest way to use the screen at the time but it never really affected anyone TBH. I cant think of anyone actually using it to win but maybe he felt that because of that reason alone , the screen should have been used for something more productive? im just guessing though. When you see the touch screen combo panel you got the feeling of "yeah that's probably the only thing you can use it for" where HE may have felt he would have used it for something that would make you feel like "oh that's interesting, never thought of that".

DOAD IMO though was a good game. the Touch screen did NOT effect the actually mechanics of the game and how it can be played. You weren't going to win with a touch screen. I know he has a fairly high standard for creativity so perhaps he felt that the way they went about DOAD was the beginning of a bigger problem that would happen with perhaps DOA5(Series). I think he might have felt they lost some of there creativeness, like i mentioned with the stage,s or perhaps the company was ok with simple add ons like a touch screen. I mentioned some of this during the streams I uploaded and I plan to have a final stream later on for the team and community.

MASTER

 

The touch panel combos were almost negligible. Other than getting free Izuna drops (which, honestly, any skilled players can do anyways), it didn't really do anything to shift the balance of fairness in any direction. Casual players got to enjoy looking cool by hitting the screen to do a string or throw, and everyone else just neglected it since it was pointless if you knew what you were doing.

Honestly, he just seems butthurt over how things went down. Other than the 3point counter system and the slight lack of balance (try winning with Bass against Genra), it was a fun game and it worked.

 

I know DOA was his project, and that he thought of the characters as his children, but why hate the series now?

I don't know, if he hates the series now...but you wrote it yourself actually: They are his children and they were taken from him against his will and used against his will. He's standing at the sidelines more or less completely helpless. This, mixed with all the anger and resentment, of whatever was going on at the company and before court and everybody would be bitter. Can you really just see it from your "fan" perspective and what's best for you? :/ Never had something kinda similar happen to you?

By the way, I'm not judging who was wrong or right in this case (I don't know) or what I as a fan would like (there were quite some things, that I personally didn't like about Itagaki's DOA). I just say, I can sympathize with him bitching a little. Everyone in here would, if they were in his shoes. Everyone!

 

I don't know, if he hates the series now...but you wrote it yourself actually: They are his children and they were taken from him against his will and used against his will. He's standing at the sidelines more or less completely helpless. This, mixed with all the anger and resentment, of whatever was going on at the company and before court and everybody would be bitter. Can you really just see it from your "fan" perspective and what's best for you? :/ Never had something kinda similar happen to you?

I do understand, its like you painting a masterpiece and someone else steals your design. It doesn't feel good, but sometimes its best to just let it go. I really do miss Itagaki though. It would be a dream if he did come back to help make DOA, but i doubt that'll happen anytime soon...

 

I do understand, its like you painting a masterpiece and someone else steals your design. It doesn't feel good, but sometimes its best to just let it go.

You would NEVER EVER say this, if you were the artist. XD
Oh, well...