Hiroyuki Kotani: Praised gamers are happy gamers

Going back to his roots proved to be a good thing for Patapon creator Hiroyuki Kotani. Using his insights as a teacher, he went on to create games carrying the philosophy that gamers will have more fun if you praise them rather than scold them. See how he arrived at this formula in the full article.

Going back to his roots proved to be a good thing for Patapon creator Hiroyuki Kotani. See, he used to be a teacher, and it was from here he gleaned the realization that students learn more if you praise them rather than scold them.

This principle was the same he used when thinking about gamers. The result: they have more fun. “I have to make the users happier, so they would feel like they are encouraged to go to the next stage.

It was also here that he thought of bringing back games to the basics.

When I was thinking about something fun, I just came up with Patapon — so I didn’t think about it too much. However, actually, I was once trapped in this bad of thinking — that complex games look better.

However, I returned to my original idea that simple games are better. And a lot of people around me said, “Are you really sure that you can realize a good game with only three commands?”

And I said yes, and I tried to convince all the people around me — but I did not realize this alone: I had a good teamwork from music creators, and programmers, and everybody.

I couldn’t agree more, actually. Fun doesn’t have to be complex, otherwise, it will just be work. If you want to read more on what else he talked about, such as why Patapon is perfect for the PSP handheld, as well as more details on the development of its much-awaited sequel, Patapon 2.

• TGS 08: Kotani answers Patapon 2 questions
• Patapon 2 to have twice as much one-eyed tribal fun, easier difficulty
  

Via Gamasutra