XGC Yoda
New member
The following interview is courtesy of Nintendo. The Nintendo DSI is set for launch at the beginning of April. For more Information visit the Official Website for more information.
1. Two Cameras and an SD Card
Iwata:
Let's start with how development of the Nintendo DSi system began. It was you, Kuwahara-san, who started moving on this, right?
Kuwahara:
Yes. I'm Masato Kuwahara from the Development Engineering Department. It all began when toward the end of 2006 my boss assigned me to work on a new DS and told me to put together a proposal for presentation at the end of December outlining what kind of system we wanted to make.
Iwata
That's quite short notice.
Kuwahara:
I'll say! And by February of the next year, we would had to hammer out most of the specifications for the internal chip. We had to move at an incredible pace. From planning to determining the specs, we moved from one thing to the next without pause. It was pretty intense.
Iwata:
During that time, was there anything you worried about or focused on?
Kuwahara:
One thing that was difficult was developing the project while keeping in mind how to sell it. What I mean is, it wasn't a completely new piece of hardware, so we couldn't plan on there being several big titles to be simultaneously released with it.
Iwata:
Because it's not an entirely new platform. It's the third console in the Nintendo DS line.
Kuwahara:
Exactly. So, to put it simply, we have to be able to sell the console on its own. It also has to be able to meld into the already-existing DS market.
Iwata That's right.
Kuwahara:
That was the source of some frustration for me. I couldn't move forward at full blast, but if I didn't move forward, it wouldn't feel new. It was quite a dilemma.
Iwata:
In other words, you would have felt freer if you could have ignored the technological precedents and the existing market for the DS, but since you had to restrict yourself to the DS platform, figuring out how to be innovative within that framework was a big challenge.
Kuwahara:
Yes.
Iwata:
Despite these restrictions, compared to the DS Lite, the DSi has quite a few new features. Do you remember which one you settled on first?
Kuwahara:
Let's seeÖ The first big one was the cameras. It only made sense to start there, because it would have an effect on how to play and would be an easy change to understand.
Iwata:
Originally, the DS touchscreen was its sense of touch, and the microphone input was its ears. I remember this time hearing someone suggest early on that we should give the console eyes. It has two. one on the outer shell and one inside when you open it. Could you tell me the reasons or background for that?
Kuwahara:
To explain simply, the outer camera is there so you can take pictures of other objects or persons as you usually would with a digital camera. The inside camera is for taking pictures of yourself while you play. That's why there are two.
At first, we thought having two would be a waste óf that having one that you could rotate would be enough óf but integrating a new swivel mechanism into the body would increase the cost all on account of that one piece and the overall size would increase. That's why in the end we decided that overall it would be better to have two cameras.
Iwata:
There was also a durability issue. We discussed how a swivel mechanism could break more easily, defeating the whole purpose. Simply adopting a camera swivel mechanism such as in cell phones wouldn't satisfy Nintendo's quality standards.
Kuwahara:Right.
Iwata: How did you decide on the pixel count?
Kuwahara:
It is generally thought that the higher the pixel count the better, but that isn't necessarily so considered from the objective of giving a game console eyes. With higher pixel counts, the physical size of the camera increases, as does the amount of data it must be able to handle, substantially increasing the processing load.
For a digital camera, where you're mainly interested in just capturing an image, simply putting in the requisite circuitry for the number of pixels is enough, but we were expecting to use this for a variety of applications, so we decided on a 0.3-megapixel camera.
Iwata:
Makers of digital cameras and cell phones have been competing with each other in recent years, resulting in ever higher pixel counts, so some people may think that 0.3 megapixels isn't much for this day in age, but that's 640 ◊ 480. In other words, you can capture images at a resolution 2.5 times that of the length and width of the DS screen.
With the Nintendo DSi you can enlarge part of a picture you've taken and there's no sense that the resolution isn't high enough. Another problem with higher pixel count is that the memory needed to save each picture increases considerably.
Recently when I use a digital camera with a high pixel count, it takes so much space to store each image that I find myself lowering the resolution when I save. We gave thought to what would be the right size for viewing photos rapidly one after the next on the Nintendo DSi screen. I guess you could say that we've lived up to Nintendo's tradition for using technology that withstood the test of time. Besides the camera, what were the other hardware changes?
Kuwahara:
We adapted it for SD memory cards. To be honest, there was a time during planning when we weren't sure how much that would enhance the possibilities of play, but in the end we were glad we had done it.
Iwata:
What I remember most with regard to the SD cards is how forcefully Shigeru Miyamoto pushed for them.
Kuwahara:
Oh, that's right.
Iwata:Early during planning, software developers in favor of SD cards weren't in the majority. If you use SD cards, the size increases, and at that stage it was difficult to visualize clearly what SD cards would bring to the system and what it would lack without them. But Miyamoto-san wanted to use them. When asked if he was certain, he said yes and promised that he would make the use of it. (laughs)
Kuwahara:Yeah, he did. (laughs)
Iwata:
And—I'll bring this up again lateróhe added the audio features with impeccable timing (laughs), and the end result still managed to be an amazing product. It's just like Miyamoto-san to carry through on his word.
Kuwahara:
It sure is. Personally, I don't mind the frantic nature of times like those. We tossed around a lot of opinions and did everything we could. I really like the audio features of the final product.
Iwata:
A lot of those opinions came from the in-house software development producers when you showed them the hardware during the planning stage. There were several opportunities for that. Did you feel any pressure because of the opinions of the software developers?
Kuwahara:
No, not really. I'd received so many positive opinions and suggestions, that I felt encouraged by them.
Iwata:
So you didn't feel smothered, but rather energized, by the input you received.
Kuwahara:
I didn't feel smothered at all. It was really a big help, and I thought that I would like to gather opinions from lots of people in future projects as well.
Iwata: We didn't have advance sharing to that extent during development of the Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance, and it was more like the hardware team would show the plans to the software developers and say, ìThis is what we didî and, then, software development in line with those plans began. This may be the first time in Nintendo's history that we've heard the software team's thoughts during the earliest stages of developing a game console and reflected them in the specifications.
Kuwahara:
Really? I didn't know that. Maybe it was better that I didn't know! (laughs)
2. Enough Work for Two Systems
Iwata:
From planning to completion of the Nintendo DSi, I’m sure there were a lot of twists and turns, but looking back, what was hardest?
Kuwahara:
Hmm… I think it was the sudden big change in size. We’d finished the designs and were about ready to make the molds.
Iwata:
Could you tell us about that?
Kuwahara:
Sure. Back in October of 2007, before we made the molds, the designs were nearly complete, so we gathered the producers from the Entertainment Analysis and Development Division to unveil it within the company. The response wasn’t that great, and, to tell the truth, we’d sort of been expecting that. According to the determined specifications, however, there was nothing we could do to stop it from turning out like that. We unveiled it to them, all the while doubting that it was going to be all right.
Iwata:
But you felt it was too late to suggest starting over.
Kuwahara:
Exactly. I made the presentation with all these uncertainties swirling around inside, and then at the end asked everyone if this was a game system they would want to own. The result was three to seven. Three people wanted it, seven didn’t. And I imagine that since one of the designers was standing right there in front of them, some of them held back their true opinion. In truth, it was probably more like one to nine.
Iwata: (laughs)
Kuwahara:
It was as bad as I had feared. We hastily rethought it, decided to remove a certain specification, and started over, heading toward the form it has today.
Iwata:
Umm, I think it might be easier to understand if I specified what that “certain specification” was. Originally, the Nintendo DSi was designed so that two DS games could be inserted.
Kuwahara:
Right. There were two slots.
Iwata:
There were a lot of requests among gamers, of course, and from in house as well, for two slots. We also thought that would be good, and, even though we were aware of the drawback of increased size, we decided to proceed with two slots. But when you and your team made an actual model and I held it in my hands, all I could think was, “It’s so big!”
Kuwahara:
Compared to the final version, it was much bigger. It was about three millimeters thicker too.
Iwata:
When you try to add two slots, it can’t be helped. So you gave up on that, and decided to make it smaller.
Kuwahara:
Yes. That size change was hard. It left quite an impression on me.
Iwata:
At the unveiling, the internal designs were already finished. You had decided on the configuration of parts, evaluated prototypes, and checked durability and assembly. You thought it was all behind you. Then, just when it was about to be manufactured, you had to change the size! You had to do the work for two systems!
Kuwahara:
I really did! (laughs) Well, this is Nintendo. We’re known the world over for our culture of “upending the tea table”*!
* "Upending the tea table" (chabudai gaeshi), is a reference to the classic Japanese comic and animated series, Hoshi of the Giants. The father in the series once upended the tea table while the family was eating a meal. Shigeru Miyamoto's working style has been compared to this because of his tendency to make last-minute suggestions that leave everyone else scrambling to implement them before the deadline.
Iwata:
I wonder what upending the tea table would be like for hardware design! (laughs)
Kuwahara: (laughs)
Iwata:Of course, that decision pushed back the release date, and you had to give up the double-slot design. But it was more important that lots of people who would see the Nintendo DSi would want one.
Kuwahara:That’s right.
Iwata:What happened next?
Kuwahara:After that, everything sped up. As we had already nailed down the internal structure, we moved on to the next level of more difficult design. The schedule was incredibly tight, but the internal designers were amazing about cooperating. Many of them had been making suggestions for slimming it down ever since we unveiled the much larger shell. Even though they had already completed one round of designs!
Iwata:
I suppose everyone realized something needed to be done about the thickness.
Kuwahara:
Yeah. So when I told them we had to do it over again, they were glad.
Iwata:
Even though it meant more work! (laughs)
Kuwahara:
Yeah. But I was really happy about it.
Iwata:
So in the end you had to draw up two sets of designs. With regard to the size change, some might say you should’ve known ahead of time the unit was going to be too big, but there’s a big difference between looking at the parts and blueprints and working with a non-working design model, as to having in your hands a working model close to the real thing. I do have to say that when the first machine was made and we actually held it in our hands, it looked big and felt heavy. I’ll ask Ehara-san about that. Ehara I’m Yui Ehara. I designed the outer shell of the Nintendo DSi.
Iwata:
You also worked on the body for the DS Lite, didn’t you? Ehara Yes, that’s right. Iwata As someone who designed the housing, what did you think about changing the size and making it all over again? I imagine you wondered why no one had thought of it sooner! Ehara Yeah, I was like, “Don’t you think it’s a little late?!” Everyone (laughs)
Iwata:
What does it mean to make the Nintendo DS thinner? Electronic devices the world over are incredibly thin. Like cell phones and electronic dictionaries. When compared with those things, the DS doesn’t look that thin, so when we talk about its thinness, a lot of people might not understand why we are making such a big deal. I think it’s important to note that the thinking behind durability for the DS and for cell phones are vastly different. Ehara That’s right. First there’s the problem of durability. Certain products have got to be able to withstand certain amounts of impact. The amount of faith you have in a product that it will be difficult to break. That’s one big point of difference. We pay a lot of attention to that when we make something. Also, when you compare it with other electronic devices, an overwhelming number are produced of one single model, so you even have to think about the lifespan of the mold.
Iwata:
Yes, that makes sense. You have to use a design and materials that will place as little a burden on the mold as possible. Ehara Another thing is the price. It costs a lot more to manufacture today’s ultra-thin cell phones than it does a game console, but you have to be able to keep the cost of a handheld game console below 20,000 yen. That introduces a restriction on the materials you can use. It isn’t quite an apt comparison to simply say there are smaller electronic devices out there.
Iwata:
It was distinctive of making the DS that we had to achieve the best balance of visual design, usability, internal structure, durability, mass production and manufacturing cost. If we weren’t making that many, we could incorporate manual procedures or use special materials, but when you’re mass producing on the scale that we do, you can’t do that. Ehara That’s right.
Iwata:
Within those constraints, you’ve always got lots of ideas for making your devices slimmer. What did you do this time?
Kuwahara:
As far as design goes, we tried to cut down on unused space as much as possible. We changed the location for the CPU and raised the house for the battery. The guys in charge of board design really put their shoulders to the wheel. The parts are really packed in, but we were under pressure to keep the price down…
Iwata:
Sorry about that. (laughs)
Kuwahara:
Sorry I had to mention it. (laughs)
Iwata:
So you decreased the number of slots, and unveiled the new, slimmer Nintendo DSi within the company. Was the response better than the first time?
Kuwahara:
Absolutely. Everyone immediately said it was much better.
3. The Simplicity of an Icon
Iwata:
I think lots of improvements have been made with the Nintendo DSi, but one thing that really made me happy, even though it’s subtle and doesn’t stand out, is that the sound is much louder and the sound quality is better.
Kuwahara:
Yes, that is a big improvement. The designer will be pleased to hear that. (laughs)
Iwata:
When I tried playing Band Brothers DX (available in Japan only), I couldn’t have been happier. The DS Lite possessed a lot of improvements over the original DS, but one thing that was sacrificed was the sound. It’s hard to notice in the specs, but when you actually use it, you feel like it needs a little more volume. The Nintendo DSi represents a drastic improvement in that area. Technically, how did you achieve that?
Kuwahara:
Well, there’s something called a Codec IC. It does things like amplify sound and convert digital signals into analog signals. That’s new this time. In other words, the peripheral…around the CPU…uh…how should I put this?
Iwata:
You upgraded the IC responsible for sound output. (laughs)
Kuwahara:
Right, it’s been upgraded. (laughs) The output increased, and depending on the mode, the sound quality improved.
Iwata:
This time, everyone who listened to the sound demo said it sounded great.
Kuwahara:
I appreciate hearing that.
Iwata:
And the Nintendo DSi speakers are not a series of holes like for the DS Lite. Why is that?
Ehara:
Well, the Nintendo DSi has more elements such as cameras and buttons that would normally be round. Lots of round holes would have been overdoing it. We wanted to keep the DSi looking neat.
Iwata:
Keeping it neat was something you really focused on.
Ehara:
The more elements you incorporate, the more likely the user will feel overwhelmed. When you see the final product on its own, there may not be anything immediately striking about its appearance, but a lot of work was put into keeping it simple. However, while any number of simple outward designs can be imagined, if a significant effort isn’t put into making the internal design work, they will never be realized. (laughs) With the DSi, there’s a strong sense that we designed in full cooperation with those in charge of the internal design.
Iwata:
The speaker apertures make quite a different impression than the two groups of holes in the DS Lite.
Ehara:
Yes, they really do. I’m not sure whether I should say this, but when you compare the DSi with the DS Lite, the way it looks hasn’t changed all that drastically. It’s almost like we tried not to change it. But the speakers were an area where we could make an obvious change and keep the unit looking neat. It would look different from its predecessors and cut down on confusion in stores. I’m not usually very insistent, but when it came to this, I pushed pretty strongly.
Iwata:
When you see the final product, you can see the point, the benefit, of making the speakers like this, but you might not understand it immediately upon simply hearing the concept. At first, did the designers wonder if it was really necessary?
Kuwahara:
From the standpoint of design, six small holes would have been easier, but Ehara-san spoke to the designers again and again, and they said they would give it a little more work. The end result was the speakers as they are now.
Iwata:
So even though there are more components, it looks neater.
Ehara:
I want to make Nintendo DS a kind of icon. What I mean is a symbol—two rectangles, top and bottom, with each half containing another rectangle inside—that even an elementary schooler who isn’t very good at drawing could draw so that anyone would recognize it and say, “Oh, that’s a DS!” I want to make it as simple as possible. Also, as the software becomes increasingly original, I was afraid incredibly distinctive hardware would clash with it. The console exists for the software, so I designed it not to stand out too much.
Iwata:
Whenever you offer a new version of something, one common approach is to design it so that it hits people over the head with how different it is, but with the DS you didn’t want to take that road.
Ehara:
The people in sales might get mad, though, saying it’s hard to sell. (laughs) We think it’s more like the DS, however, to design it so that it melts seamlessly into the customers’ lives, rather than focus on a hardware design that merely makes a flashy appearance in stores.
Iwata:
Nintendo doesn’t want to treat the products that are already out there as “old” and say to consumers, “Now you’ve got to buy our latest product!”
Ehara:
That’s right.
Iwata:
Is there anything else that has changed despite its simple appearance?
Kuwahara:
Hmm, it’s a small thing, but the liquid crystal screen is bigger.
It’s gone from 3.0 inches to 3.25. If you see it on its own, it isn’t easy to tell the difference, but if you’re someone who’s used to playing the DS Lite, and then you take the Nintendo DSi system in your hands, you’ll realize it immediately. Iwata I see. It’s only a 0.25-inch increase, not the kind of change we can shout from the rooftops, but in terms of how you feel when you play with them, it’s something to be happy about. There was quite a desire among players for a larger screen. The LCD unit’s weight is proportional to its area, so in making the screen bigger, there was a possibility that it would become heavier. But you gave a lot of thought to weight as well as slimness in the design, and it ended up being a little lighter than the DS Lite.
Ehara:
And whereas fingerprints tended to show up on the black DS Lite systems, we changed to a texture that prevents this. But again, that’s not really something that will reach out and grab customers in stores.
Iwata:
So you’ve used a matte surface that is less likely to show fingerprints.
Ehara:
Right.
Iwata:
Truly, the Nintendo DSi is full of changes that users will discover little by little once they get their hands on one and start playing.
4. Your Own Nintendo DS
Iwata:
Now I’d like to ask Mita-san some questions, but first why don’t we have him introduce himself?
Mita:
I’m Kentaro Mita. For this project, I lent support to what we called the Console Features Review Team, a group composed of members from multiple departments for the purpose of discussing the Nintendo DSi features. I did things like relay proposals from one department to another and carry ideas from the Research & Engineering Department to where they needed to go. Basically, I worked to keep everything running smoothly between departments.
Iwata:
Mita-san was on his feet as a networker, running around ahead of everyone keeping the information flowing and addressing any and all worries as soon as they arose.
Mita:
Yeah. This isn’t the kind of project that one department alone can carry through to completion, so I repeatedly went to talk to people in all the various departments, and returned to share the info I’d gathered. It was quite an invigorating experience for me. Before, I’d usually been involved in much more closed work—holed up alone scribbling away at programs.
Iwata:
Did this help you make more acquaintances around the company?
Mita:
It certainly did. (laughs) Until recently, I hardly ever went outside my own department. Now I can go anywhere without hesitation.
Kuwahara:
Since he was always off running around somewhere, he was never in his seat when I wanted to talk to him! (laughs)
Iwata:Oh. (laughs) Mita-san, as someone involved with the features built into the console, what would you say was the turning point?
Mita:
It was definitely when we added the Shop function, which allows you to use your Nintendo DSi to buy and download software*. That was a big turning point.
* Nintendo Points are available for purchase in the Nintendo DSi Shop Channel or at retail locations. Nintendo Points are used to download software.
Iwata:
There was quite a bit of debate about it, wasn’t there? By adding this, the concept of “My DS” could be realized for the very first time.
Mita:
That’s right. Users being able to supplement the unit’s internal software later on was certainly attractive, but coming up with the specs to support that was going to be difficult. No one was sure we could achieve that within the time constraints. I stayed busy gathering the supporting technical background, speaking with staff who had experience in the area, and reporting on what I’d learned, and in the end, we added internal memory, allowing us to incorporate quite a rich array of software and allowing users to customize their own DS by adding their own software later. I think it’s quite an attractive aspect of the unit.
Iwata:
Kuwahara-san, what did you think about the DSi Shop function?
Kuwahara:
I expected a lot of packaged software—software of the sort that was previously hard to sell—to increase. To name a couple simple examples, products like calculators and route maps that haven’t existed as packaged software so far could be introduced and a new market would open up.
Iwata:
Not many people would go to the store, spend several thousand yen on software for a calculator or road map, and then stick the cartridge in their DS. But suppose we offered a Zelda Calculator, an Animal Crossing Clock, route maps of various major cities, or only the simple mode of Tetris as low-cost downloads? I’m sure the new demand can be made.
Kuwahara:
Hopefully, each person’s personality would be reflected in their DS and they wouldn’t be able to take their hands off it. It would be great if it became so integral to them that if they accidentally left the house without it in the morning they would hurry back to get it! (laughs)
Iwata:
Yeah, I want each person’s My DS to be something they carry around with them at all times. They can take an interest in what their friends have done with their units, and share recommendations.
Mita:
One important feature for the concept of My DS is being able to take and save pictures. You can view them on a screen larger than that of a cell phone, and place it on your desk like a photo stand. I want it to be a device that people will always keep out, on their desk for example, rather than stuff into their bag.
Kuwahara:
Since you can save your own photos, you’re sure to want your own console, rather than, say, share your big brother’s. I’m sure my own children will be that way. (laughs)
Iwata:
According to statistics, there are an average of 2.8 DS users per household that has a DS in Japan, but each of those households only possesses, on average, 1.8 DS consoles. I hope with the advent of the DSi the average number of consoles will approach the average number of users per household.
Ehara-san, how do you view the whole concept of My DS?
Ehara:I, too, think the DS will be much cooler now that people can infuse it with their own tastes and each person’s console will be completely unique. Since the external design doesn’t do anything drastic this time, it’s like we’re entrusting the system’s personality to its users. We’re expecting everyone to take the concept of My DS to heart when they get theirs.
Iwata:
I see. Well, may I have everyone speak their closing comments before we wrap this up?
Kuwahara:
I’d just like to say that I don’t think we could have achieved the Nintendo DSi if any single person who worked on it, including those who aren’t here today, had been missing. Including even those who performed the more routine tasks, everyone was running at full throttle. We tried to make the Nintendo DSi the best we could, so I hope everyone will buy one and have a blast!
Mita:
I hope everyone will make full use of the camera and internal memory and customize their Nintendo DSi system, to their own tastes.
Ehara:
Within the DS family of game systems, I think we’ve achieved something particularly good, so I want everyone to use it lovingly for a long time to come.
Iwata:
Okay, thanks everyone. You haven’t left anything out, have you?
Mita:
Um, this isn’t really something to bring up last, but the Nintendo DSi has a reset function. The reset button also serves as the power button, but when you press it, it doesn’t just reset. With Nintendo DSi software you can move around, return to the menu, or play a different game, without shutting down the power every time. As a game console, I feel like it has a strong sense of unity. It’s very subtle, but I hope everyone experiences that.
Iwata:
Speaking of subtle aspects of the Nintendo DSi,
I like the way when you insert a game card that game’s icon pops up on the menu, and when you take it out, the icon disappears. Before, when you changed games, you had to shut off the power once. With the Nintendo DSi, you just lightly press the power button to return to the menu, and change software without turning off the power.
Is there anything else we should add?
Ehara:
Well, the unit’s features and included software have both increased, and the instruction manual is a veritable cornucopia of information. Of course, it would be best if you could play even without a manual, but the people in charge really poured themselves into it and turned out something nice. In order to make the most of your Nintendo DSi, I hope everyone gives the manual a thorough read.
Iwata:
Okay. How about you, Kuwahara-san? Anything you’d like to say?
Kuwahara:
Yeah. Mita-kun’s getting married. Everyone (laughs)
Iwata:
My congratulations.
Kuwahara:
The wedding’s this Saturday.
Ehara:
I went to a factory overseas to check on production of the Nintendo DSi, and the next thing I know, everyone’s getting hitched. Everyone (laughs)
Kuwahara:
Good thing the Nintendo DSi was finished first! What if it conflicted with his wedding plans? Everyone Congratulations!
Iwata:Is it all right to end it this way? Oh well, I guess it is. (laughs) Thanks again, everyone.
Everyone:
Thank you to you, too.
Credit's: XGC Yoda & Nintendo
1. Two Cameras and an SD Card
Iwata:
Let's start with how development of the Nintendo DSi system began. It was you, Kuwahara-san, who started moving on this, right?
Kuwahara:
Yes. I'm Masato Kuwahara from the Development Engineering Department. It all began when toward the end of 2006 my boss assigned me to work on a new DS and told me to put together a proposal for presentation at the end of December outlining what kind of system we wanted to make.
Iwata
That's quite short notice.
Kuwahara:
I'll say! And by February of the next year, we would had to hammer out most of the specifications for the internal chip. We had to move at an incredible pace. From planning to determining the specs, we moved from one thing to the next without pause. It was pretty intense.
Iwata:
During that time, was there anything you worried about or focused on?
Kuwahara:
One thing that was difficult was developing the project while keeping in mind how to sell it. What I mean is, it wasn't a completely new piece of hardware, so we couldn't plan on there being several big titles to be simultaneously released with it.
Iwata:
Because it's not an entirely new platform. It's the third console in the Nintendo DS line.
Kuwahara:
Exactly. So, to put it simply, we have to be able to sell the console on its own. It also has to be able to meld into the already-existing DS market.
Iwata That's right.
Kuwahara:
That was the source of some frustration for me. I couldn't move forward at full blast, but if I didn't move forward, it wouldn't feel new. It was quite a dilemma.
Iwata:
In other words, you would have felt freer if you could have ignored the technological precedents and the existing market for the DS, but since you had to restrict yourself to the DS platform, figuring out how to be innovative within that framework was a big challenge.
Kuwahara:
Yes.
Iwata:
Despite these restrictions, compared to the DS Lite, the DSi has quite a few new features. Do you remember which one you settled on first?
Kuwahara:
Let's seeÖ The first big one was the cameras. It only made sense to start there, because it would have an effect on how to play and would be an easy change to understand.
Iwata:
Originally, the DS touchscreen was its sense of touch, and the microphone input was its ears. I remember this time hearing someone suggest early on that we should give the console eyes. It has two. one on the outer shell and one inside when you open it. Could you tell me the reasons or background for that?
Kuwahara:
To explain simply, the outer camera is there so you can take pictures of other objects or persons as you usually would with a digital camera. The inside camera is for taking pictures of yourself while you play. That's why there are two.
At first, we thought having two would be a waste óf that having one that you could rotate would be enough óf but integrating a new swivel mechanism into the body would increase the cost all on account of that one piece and the overall size would increase. That's why in the end we decided that overall it would be better to have two cameras.
Iwata:
There was also a durability issue. We discussed how a swivel mechanism could break more easily, defeating the whole purpose. Simply adopting a camera swivel mechanism such as in cell phones wouldn't satisfy Nintendo's quality standards.
Kuwahara:Right.
Iwata: How did you decide on the pixel count?
Kuwahara:
It is generally thought that the higher the pixel count the better, but that isn't necessarily so considered from the objective of giving a game console eyes. With higher pixel counts, the physical size of the camera increases, as does the amount of data it must be able to handle, substantially increasing the processing load.
For a digital camera, where you're mainly interested in just capturing an image, simply putting in the requisite circuitry for the number of pixels is enough, but we were expecting to use this for a variety of applications, so we decided on a 0.3-megapixel camera.
Iwata:
Makers of digital cameras and cell phones have been competing with each other in recent years, resulting in ever higher pixel counts, so some people may think that 0.3 megapixels isn't much for this day in age, but that's 640 ◊ 480. In other words, you can capture images at a resolution 2.5 times that of the length and width of the DS screen.
With the Nintendo DSi you can enlarge part of a picture you've taken and there's no sense that the resolution isn't high enough. Another problem with higher pixel count is that the memory needed to save each picture increases considerably.
Recently when I use a digital camera with a high pixel count, it takes so much space to store each image that I find myself lowering the resolution when I save. We gave thought to what would be the right size for viewing photos rapidly one after the next on the Nintendo DSi screen. I guess you could say that we've lived up to Nintendo's tradition for using technology that withstood the test of time. Besides the camera, what were the other hardware changes?
Kuwahara:
We adapted it for SD memory cards. To be honest, there was a time during planning when we weren't sure how much that would enhance the possibilities of play, but in the end we were glad we had done it.
Iwata:
What I remember most with regard to the SD cards is how forcefully Shigeru Miyamoto pushed for them.
Kuwahara:
Oh, that's right.
Iwata:Early during planning, software developers in favor of SD cards weren't in the majority. If you use SD cards, the size increases, and at that stage it was difficult to visualize clearly what SD cards would bring to the system and what it would lack without them. But Miyamoto-san wanted to use them. When asked if he was certain, he said yes and promised that he would make the use of it. (laughs)
Kuwahara:Yeah, he did. (laughs)
Iwata:
And—I'll bring this up again lateróhe added the audio features with impeccable timing (laughs), and the end result still managed to be an amazing product. It's just like Miyamoto-san to carry through on his word.
Kuwahara:
It sure is. Personally, I don't mind the frantic nature of times like those. We tossed around a lot of opinions and did everything we could. I really like the audio features of the final product.
Iwata:
A lot of those opinions came from the in-house software development producers when you showed them the hardware during the planning stage. There were several opportunities for that. Did you feel any pressure because of the opinions of the software developers?
Kuwahara:
No, not really. I'd received so many positive opinions and suggestions, that I felt encouraged by them.
Iwata:
So you didn't feel smothered, but rather energized, by the input you received.
Kuwahara:
I didn't feel smothered at all. It was really a big help, and I thought that I would like to gather opinions from lots of people in future projects as well.
Iwata: We didn't have advance sharing to that extent during development of the Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance, and it was more like the hardware team would show the plans to the software developers and say, ìThis is what we didî and, then, software development in line with those plans began. This may be the first time in Nintendo's history that we've heard the software team's thoughts during the earliest stages of developing a game console and reflected them in the specifications.
Kuwahara:
Really? I didn't know that. Maybe it was better that I didn't know! (laughs)
2. Enough Work for Two Systems
Iwata:
From planning to completion of the Nintendo DSi, I’m sure there were a lot of twists and turns, but looking back, what was hardest?
Kuwahara:
Hmm… I think it was the sudden big change in size. We’d finished the designs and were about ready to make the molds.
Iwata:
Could you tell us about that?
Kuwahara:
Sure. Back in October of 2007, before we made the molds, the designs were nearly complete, so we gathered the producers from the Entertainment Analysis and Development Division to unveil it within the company. The response wasn’t that great, and, to tell the truth, we’d sort of been expecting that. According to the determined specifications, however, there was nothing we could do to stop it from turning out like that. We unveiled it to them, all the while doubting that it was going to be all right.
Iwata:
But you felt it was too late to suggest starting over.
Kuwahara:
Exactly. I made the presentation with all these uncertainties swirling around inside, and then at the end asked everyone if this was a game system they would want to own. The result was three to seven. Three people wanted it, seven didn’t. And I imagine that since one of the designers was standing right there in front of them, some of them held back their true opinion. In truth, it was probably more like one to nine.
Iwata: (laughs)
Kuwahara:
It was as bad as I had feared. We hastily rethought it, decided to remove a certain specification, and started over, heading toward the form it has today.
Iwata:
Umm, I think it might be easier to understand if I specified what that “certain specification” was. Originally, the Nintendo DSi was designed so that two DS games could be inserted.
Kuwahara:
Right. There were two slots.
Iwata:
There were a lot of requests among gamers, of course, and from in house as well, for two slots. We also thought that would be good, and, even though we were aware of the drawback of increased size, we decided to proceed with two slots. But when you and your team made an actual model and I held it in my hands, all I could think was, “It’s so big!”
Kuwahara:
Compared to the final version, it was much bigger. It was about three millimeters thicker too.
Iwata:
When you try to add two slots, it can’t be helped. So you gave up on that, and decided to make it smaller.
Kuwahara:
Yes. That size change was hard. It left quite an impression on me.
Iwata:
At the unveiling, the internal designs were already finished. You had decided on the configuration of parts, evaluated prototypes, and checked durability and assembly. You thought it was all behind you. Then, just when it was about to be manufactured, you had to change the size! You had to do the work for two systems!
Kuwahara:
I really did! (laughs) Well, this is Nintendo. We’re known the world over for our culture of “upending the tea table”*!
* "Upending the tea table" (chabudai gaeshi), is a reference to the classic Japanese comic and animated series, Hoshi of the Giants. The father in the series once upended the tea table while the family was eating a meal. Shigeru Miyamoto's working style has been compared to this because of his tendency to make last-minute suggestions that leave everyone else scrambling to implement them before the deadline.
Iwata:
I wonder what upending the tea table would be like for hardware design! (laughs)
Kuwahara: (laughs)
Iwata:Of course, that decision pushed back the release date, and you had to give up the double-slot design. But it was more important that lots of people who would see the Nintendo DSi would want one.
Kuwahara:That’s right.
Iwata:What happened next?
Kuwahara:After that, everything sped up. As we had already nailed down the internal structure, we moved on to the next level of more difficult design. The schedule was incredibly tight, but the internal designers were amazing about cooperating. Many of them had been making suggestions for slimming it down ever since we unveiled the much larger shell. Even though they had already completed one round of designs!
Iwata:
I suppose everyone realized something needed to be done about the thickness.
Kuwahara:
Yeah. So when I told them we had to do it over again, they were glad.
Iwata:
Even though it meant more work! (laughs)
Kuwahara:
Yeah. But I was really happy about it.
Iwata:
So in the end you had to draw up two sets of designs. With regard to the size change, some might say you should’ve known ahead of time the unit was going to be too big, but there’s a big difference between looking at the parts and blueprints and working with a non-working design model, as to having in your hands a working model close to the real thing. I do have to say that when the first machine was made and we actually held it in our hands, it looked big and felt heavy. I’ll ask Ehara-san about that. Ehara I’m Yui Ehara. I designed the outer shell of the Nintendo DSi.
Iwata:
You also worked on the body for the DS Lite, didn’t you? Ehara Yes, that’s right. Iwata As someone who designed the housing, what did you think about changing the size and making it all over again? I imagine you wondered why no one had thought of it sooner! Ehara Yeah, I was like, “Don’t you think it’s a little late?!” Everyone (laughs)
Iwata:
What does it mean to make the Nintendo DS thinner? Electronic devices the world over are incredibly thin. Like cell phones and electronic dictionaries. When compared with those things, the DS doesn’t look that thin, so when we talk about its thinness, a lot of people might not understand why we are making such a big deal. I think it’s important to note that the thinking behind durability for the DS and for cell phones are vastly different. Ehara That’s right. First there’s the problem of durability. Certain products have got to be able to withstand certain amounts of impact. The amount of faith you have in a product that it will be difficult to break. That’s one big point of difference. We pay a lot of attention to that when we make something. Also, when you compare it with other electronic devices, an overwhelming number are produced of one single model, so you even have to think about the lifespan of the mold.
Iwata:
Yes, that makes sense. You have to use a design and materials that will place as little a burden on the mold as possible. Ehara Another thing is the price. It costs a lot more to manufacture today’s ultra-thin cell phones than it does a game console, but you have to be able to keep the cost of a handheld game console below 20,000 yen. That introduces a restriction on the materials you can use. It isn’t quite an apt comparison to simply say there are smaller electronic devices out there.
Iwata:
It was distinctive of making the DS that we had to achieve the best balance of visual design, usability, internal structure, durability, mass production and manufacturing cost. If we weren’t making that many, we could incorporate manual procedures or use special materials, but when you’re mass producing on the scale that we do, you can’t do that. Ehara That’s right.
Iwata:
Within those constraints, you’ve always got lots of ideas for making your devices slimmer. What did you do this time?
Kuwahara:
As far as design goes, we tried to cut down on unused space as much as possible. We changed the location for the CPU and raised the house for the battery. The guys in charge of board design really put their shoulders to the wheel. The parts are really packed in, but we were under pressure to keep the price down…
Iwata:
Sorry about that. (laughs)
Kuwahara:
Sorry I had to mention it. (laughs)
Iwata:
So you decreased the number of slots, and unveiled the new, slimmer Nintendo DSi within the company. Was the response better than the first time?
Kuwahara:
Absolutely. Everyone immediately said it was much better.
3. The Simplicity of an Icon
Iwata:
I think lots of improvements have been made with the Nintendo DSi, but one thing that really made me happy, even though it’s subtle and doesn’t stand out, is that the sound is much louder and the sound quality is better.
Kuwahara:
Yes, that is a big improvement. The designer will be pleased to hear that. (laughs)
Iwata:
When I tried playing Band Brothers DX (available in Japan only), I couldn’t have been happier. The DS Lite possessed a lot of improvements over the original DS, but one thing that was sacrificed was the sound. It’s hard to notice in the specs, but when you actually use it, you feel like it needs a little more volume. The Nintendo DSi represents a drastic improvement in that area. Technically, how did you achieve that?
Kuwahara:
Well, there’s something called a Codec IC. It does things like amplify sound and convert digital signals into analog signals. That’s new this time. In other words, the peripheral…around the CPU…uh…how should I put this?
Iwata:
You upgraded the IC responsible for sound output. (laughs)
Kuwahara:
Right, it’s been upgraded. (laughs) The output increased, and depending on the mode, the sound quality improved.
Iwata:
This time, everyone who listened to the sound demo said it sounded great.
Kuwahara:
I appreciate hearing that.
Iwata:
And the Nintendo DSi speakers are not a series of holes like for the DS Lite. Why is that?
Ehara:
Well, the Nintendo DSi has more elements such as cameras and buttons that would normally be round. Lots of round holes would have been overdoing it. We wanted to keep the DSi looking neat.
Iwata:
Keeping it neat was something you really focused on.
Ehara:
The more elements you incorporate, the more likely the user will feel overwhelmed. When you see the final product on its own, there may not be anything immediately striking about its appearance, but a lot of work was put into keeping it simple. However, while any number of simple outward designs can be imagined, if a significant effort isn’t put into making the internal design work, they will never be realized. (laughs) With the DSi, there’s a strong sense that we designed in full cooperation with those in charge of the internal design.
Iwata:
The speaker apertures make quite a different impression than the two groups of holes in the DS Lite.
Ehara:
Yes, they really do. I’m not sure whether I should say this, but when you compare the DSi with the DS Lite, the way it looks hasn’t changed all that drastically. It’s almost like we tried not to change it. But the speakers were an area where we could make an obvious change and keep the unit looking neat. It would look different from its predecessors and cut down on confusion in stores. I’m not usually very insistent, but when it came to this, I pushed pretty strongly.
Iwata:
When you see the final product, you can see the point, the benefit, of making the speakers like this, but you might not understand it immediately upon simply hearing the concept. At first, did the designers wonder if it was really necessary?
Kuwahara:
From the standpoint of design, six small holes would have been easier, but Ehara-san spoke to the designers again and again, and they said they would give it a little more work. The end result was the speakers as they are now.
Iwata:
So even though there are more components, it looks neater.
Ehara:
I want to make Nintendo DS a kind of icon. What I mean is a symbol—two rectangles, top and bottom, with each half containing another rectangle inside—that even an elementary schooler who isn’t very good at drawing could draw so that anyone would recognize it and say, “Oh, that’s a DS!” I want to make it as simple as possible. Also, as the software becomes increasingly original, I was afraid incredibly distinctive hardware would clash with it. The console exists for the software, so I designed it not to stand out too much.
Iwata:
Whenever you offer a new version of something, one common approach is to design it so that it hits people over the head with how different it is, but with the DS you didn’t want to take that road.
Ehara:
The people in sales might get mad, though, saying it’s hard to sell. (laughs) We think it’s more like the DS, however, to design it so that it melts seamlessly into the customers’ lives, rather than focus on a hardware design that merely makes a flashy appearance in stores.
Iwata:
Nintendo doesn’t want to treat the products that are already out there as “old” and say to consumers, “Now you’ve got to buy our latest product!”
Ehara:
That’s right.
Iwata:
Is there anything else that has changed despite its simple appearance?
Kuwahara:
Hmm, it’s a small thing, but the liquid crystal screen is bigger.
It’s gone from 3.0 inches to 3.25. If you see it on its own, it isn’t easy to tell the difference, but if you’re someone who’s used to playing the DS Lite, and then you take the Nintendo DSi system in your hands, you’ll realize it immediately. Iwata I see. It’s only a 0.25-inch increase, not the kind of change we can shout from the rooftops, but in terms of how you feel when you play with them, it’s something to be happy about. There was quite a desire among players for a larger screen. The LCD unit’s weight is proportional to its area, so in making the screen bigger, there was a possibility that it would become heavier. But you gave a lot of thought to weight as well as slimness in the design, and it ended up being a little lighter than the DS Lite.
Ehara:
And whereas fingerprints tended to show up on the black DS Lite systems, we changed to a texture that prevents this. But again, that’s not really something that will reach out and grab customers in stores.
Iwata:
So you’ve used a matte surface that is less likely to show fingerprints.
Ehara:
Right.
Iwata:
Truly, the Nintendo DSi is full of changes that users will discover little by little once they get their hands on one and start playing.
4. Your Own Nintendo DS
Iwata:
Now I’d like to ask Mita-san some questions, but first why don’t we have him introduce himself?
Mita:
I’m Kentaro Mita. For this project, I lent support to what we called the Console Features Review Team, a group composed of members from multiple departments for the purpose of discussing the Nintendo DSi features. I did things like relay proposals from one department to another and carry ideas from the Research & Engineering Department to where they needed to go. Basically, I worked to keep everything running smoothly between departments.
Iwata:
Mita-san was on his feet as a networker, running around ahead of everyone keeping the information flowing and addressing any and all worries as soon as they arose.
Mita:
Yeah. This isn’t the kind of project that one department alone can carry through to completion, so I repeatedly went to talk to people in all the various departments, and returned to share the info I’d gathered. It was quite an invigorating experience for me. Before, I’d usually been involved in much more closed work—holed up alone scribbling away at programs.
Iwata:
Did this help you make more acquaintances around the company?
Mita:
It certainly did. (laughs) Until recently, I hardly ever went outside my own department. Now I can go anywhere without hesitation.
Kuwahara:
Since he was always off running around somewhere, he was never in his seat when I wanted to talk to him! (laughs)
Iwata:Oh. (laughs) Mita-san, as someone involved with the features built into the console, what would you say was the turning point?
Mita:
It was definitely when we added the Shop function, which allows you to use your Nintendo DSi to buy and download software*. That was a big turning point.
* Nintendo Points are available for purchase in the Nintendo DSi Shop Channel or at retail locations. Nintendo Points are used to download software.
Iwata:
There was quite a bit of debate about it, wasn’t there? By adding this, the concept of “My DS” could be realized for the very first time.
Mita:
That’s right. Users being able to supplement the unit’s internal software later on was certainly attractive, but coming up with the specs to support that was going to be difficult. No one was sure we could achieve that within the time constraints. I stayed busy gathering the supporting technical background, speaking with staff who had experience in the area, and reporting on what I’d learned, and in the end, we added internal memory, allowing us to incorporate quite a rich array of software and allowing users to customize their own DS by adding their own software later. I think it’s quite an attractive aspect of the unit.
Iwata:
Kuwahara-san, what did you think about the DSi Shop function?
Kuwahara:
I expected a lot of packaged software—software of the sort that was previously hard to sell—to increase. To name a couple simple examples, products like calculators and route maps that haven’t existed as packaged software so far could be introduced and a new market would open up.
Iwata:
Not many people would go to the store, spend several thousand yen on software for a calculator or road map, and then stick the cartridge in their DS. But suppose we offered a Zelda Calculator, an Animal Crossing Clock, route maps of various major cities, or only the simple mode of Tetris as low-cost downloads? I’m sure the new demand can be made.
Kuwahara:
Hopefully, each person’s personality would be reflected in their DS and they wouldn’t be able to take their hands off it. It would be great if it became so integral to them that if they accidentally left the house without it in the morning they would hurry back to get it! (laughs)
Iwata:
Yeah, I want each person’s My DS to be something they carry around with them at all times. They can take an interest in what their friends have done with their units, and share recommendations.
Mita:
One important feature for the concept of My DS is being able to take and save pictures. You can view them on a screen larger than that of a cell phone, and place it on your desk like a photo stand. I want it to be a device that people will always keep out, on their desk for example, rather than stuff into their bag.
Kuwahara:
Since you can save your own photos, you’re sure to want your own console, rather than, say, share your big brother’s. I’m sure my own children will be that way. (laughs)
Iwata:
According to statistics, there are an average of 2.8 DS users per household that has a DS in Japan, but each of those households only possesses, on average, 1.8 DS consoles. I hope with the advent of the DSi the average number of consoles will approach the average number of users per household.
Ehara-san, how do you view the whole concept of My DS?
Ehara:I, too, think the DS will be much cooler now that people can infuse it with their own tastes and each person’s console will be completely unique. Since the external design doesn’t do anything drastic this time, it’s like we’re entrusting the system’s personality to its users. We’re expecting everyone to take the concept of My DS to heart when they get theirs.
Iwata:
I see. Well, may I have everyone speak their closing comments before we wrap this up?
Kuwahara:
I’d just like to say that I don’t think we could have achieved the Nintendo DSi if any single person who worked on it, including those who aren’t here today, had been missing. Including even those who performed the more routine tasks, everyone was running at full throttle. We tried to make the Nintendo DSi the best we could, so I hope everyone will buy one and have a blast!
Mita:
I hope everyone will make full use of the camera and internal memory and customize their Nintendo DSi system, to their own tastes.
Ehara:
Within the DS family of game systems, I think we’ve achieved something particularly good, so I want everyone to use it lovingly for a long time to come.
Iwata:
Okay, thanks everyone. You haven’t left anything out, have you?
Mita:
Um, this isn’t really something to bring up last, but the Nintendo DSi has a reset function. The reset button also serves as the power button, but when you press it, it doesn’t just reset. With Nintendo DSi software you can move around, return to the menu, or play a different game, without shutting down the power every time. As a game console, I feel like it has a strong sense of unity. It’s very subtle, but I hope everyone experiences that.
Iwata:
Speaking of subtle aspects of the Nintendo DSi,
I like the way when you insert a game card that game’s icon pops up on the menu, and when you take it out, the icon disappears. Before, when you changed games, you had to shut off the power once. With the Nintendo DSi, you just lightly press the power button to return to the menu, and change software without turning off the power.
Is there anything else we should add?
Ehara:
Well, the unit’s features and included software have both increased, and the instruction manual is a veritable cornucopia of information. Of course, it would be best if you could play even without a manual, but the people in charge really poured themselves into it and turned out something nice. In order to make the most of your Nintendo DSi, I hope everyone gives the manual a thorough read.
Iwata:
Okay. How about you, Kuwahara-san? Anything you’d like to say?
Kuwahara:
Yeah. Mita-kun’s getting married. Everyone (laughs)
Iwata:
My congratulations.
Kuwahara:
The wedding’s this Saturday.
Ehara:
I went to a factory overseas to check on production of the Nintendo DSi, and the next thing I know, everyone’s getting hitched. Everyone (laughs)
Kuwahara:
Good thing the Nintendo DSi was finished first! What if it conflicted with his wedding plans? Everyone Congratulations!
Iwata:Is it all right to end it this way? Oh well, I guess it is. (laughs) Thanks again, everyone.
Everyone:
Thank you to you, too.
Credit's: XGC Yoda & Nintendo