K: Hiroyuki Kobayashi -Producer of Resident Evil re-birth-
--: Interviewer (Unknown)
-- How about characters.
K: This time, we auditioned models and scanned 3D structures of the face in to computer data. After that, we modified that 3D data to our imaginary Chris or Jill. We did a lot of auditions.
M: Yes.. actually, we got data from real people because the portrait rights.
-- What about it?
K: Yes, to avoid getting suit.
M: Character graphics are getting too real, and we'd never thought about it but there is a possibility people might start saying "That character look like somebody." so, we had to make evidence to create character from models.
K: One more thing is to makes our quality high. It makes quite different if we get data from real people.
-- Did you take data of motions and expressions from real people too?
K: Expressions is not, only the shape of the face and we took motions from different actors.
M: We pick peculiar faces on purpose, it makes character impressive to the users.
-- How about motions.
M: Especially, I want to give attention to Chris' motion. The actor we captured the motion from, he moves with some kind of tensions. He is action actor, he has excellent physical ability.
-- Models for Rebecca and Barry were picked by the auditions too?
K: Yes, of course. All 5 main characters including Wesker. Only characters we didn't get data from auditioned actors are dead ones.
-- What kind of person is the model of Wesker?
K: That person was.....
M: He has loooong face, long and thin face. We made a lot thicker than original face but still thin.
-- Barry got skinner than original RE.
*All laugh*
M: Barry's model data was too skinny, so, we made him little fat, but if we make too fat, the character loses reality. Then, we made him look tough outside and motion is "old man" to make balance.
K: We could pick the cool move motion actor.
M: I request to pick "old man" move person, Barry has to be run like old man.
-- Barry looks tough and cool.
M: Yes, but please see how he moves. Slow and "Oh, well... here we go..." kind of feelings. Barry have to be "Good old Barry" if we make everything sharp, he is just tough guy. In the cut scenes, Barry has good Barry taste actions, I personally really like those.
-- Rebecca gets mature.
M: Yes, because she is going to be lead character on Resident Evil 0. Resident Evil 1 is suppose to be the story after Resident Evil 0, if Rebecca acts like original "Ooooooh! Nooo!" Rebecca, doesn't make sense, so I changed to a more serious character.
-- Even her personality was changed.... I kind of miss old Rebecca.
M: In the development stage, a lot of staff said so too, "That "Ooooh! Nooo!" was the best part of Rebecca" or "That ungarded feeling was the best part".
K: Instead, Jill got a little cuter. Her action and atmosphere has charm. This time, we expect a lot more people charmed by Jill.
-- But still she looks tough.
M: Yes, she's not skinny, more like muscular body she has.
K: In the game, there is a extra costume the users can pick and change. One of the Jill's is from Resident Evil 3 and when she wears less clothes like Resident Evil 3 costume, you really can see her tough body.
-- I saw that costume, really short skirt. Ah..... in the stairs....
K: Well... talking about inside of the skirt?
M: First, we weren't planning to make Resident Evil 3 costume for her. But some of the staff crazy about that costume.......
We even had to change the camera position, because of that short skirt.
-- In some of the places were really dangerous.
M: I know, but as you know, that skirt is fit to her body well, even reflection on the water in the ground, you can't see it. Character designer already decided her underwear color is "white" but if it is white, it shows too well. Then, we discussed to change "black" and changed to "light blue". Light blue still shows, so we finally decide to be black.
-- So, It counts for trouble of game development.
*All laugh*
-- Could you tell us about enemies?
M: I put a lot of my craftsmanship in to the zombies. Especially, we used the real material to make textures. For example, their clothes, we actually made mess on real shirts by red paint or dusts and got a picture and modified on computer.
In those zombies, there is the white shirts one, that is me! When I got to shoot the motion, the cameraman gave me an order like "Pull the shirts out from your pants!" "Put that shirt back in!!" or "Turn side"... I thought I'm the director!! *Laugh*
K: And the cross section of the body, we bought a big peace of meat and used that picture, material is RAW.
-- There are the new type of monsters.
K: As I mentioned before, zombies that are dead and comeback..... "Crimson Head" is really scary, one of them has handcuffs and fetters, I can't tell you much about this one yet. All the monsters are upgraded, dog is the same.
M: This time, dog motion is good.
-- How about another enemy?
K: Hunter is scary as usual.
M: I love the character's motion when Hunter attacks character's leg, that motion makes the users instinctively fears. I think this kind of fear is the one of Resident Evil's charm point.
By the way, when characters use the diffence knife to Hunter, Hunter struggles, if you make character step ahead to Hunter in this moment, you'll die!!
-- That is not suppose to happen! Doesn't mean anything to use "diffence" weapon!!
M: Just don't step towards Hunter in that moment. I didn't think people try to get closer to Hunter in that situation. If somebody really do, I just have to laugh.
K: Chimera walk around ventilation hall and "hung" the character like before, that is good too.
M: First, we made character's head will separate from body by Chimera's "hung", but rejected.
K: I know, only head remain Chimera's hand.
M: Yeah, just body dropped down to the floor.
-- All rejected?
K: Chimera still has "hung" attack, but head separate from body idea was rejected. Character's drop down to the floor with the head.
M: One of the staff put a lot of his craftsmanship in to Chimera. Especially their wings, I thought it doesn't show on the screen, but the enemy motion staff tried hard to show those wings.
And good sound effects too.
Published date: Apr 5th 2002
Published by: Capcom
Original Japanese text all rights reserved by Capcom and related publishers.
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