SAGE 2011: Naoto Ohshima Q&A Highlights

Plus, a chance to follow up with more

After a rocky start with some tough questions and some translator hiccups, the live Naoto Ohshima Q&A at the Sonic Amateur Games Expo hit its stride with some great questions from the nearly 70 Sonic fans packed in to the SAGE chat. While there will no doubt be an official transcript sometime in the next day or two, here’s a sneak peek at some of the questions that were asked (paraphrased by me):

Synchroniser: If you were still in control of Sonic affairs, what in the current gameplay formula would you change?
Ohshima: “There’s something I always want to change, all the time. Character designs, their profiles (likes/dislikes/hobbies), and the music.”
Tweaker: “Oh yeah, the music in Sonic CD was great.”
Ohshima: “Sonic CD’s music was more house music. When I first heard house music in New York, I wanted to bring it to Japan.”

RGamer: “What was your favorite Sonic game that you worked on?”
Oshima: “Sonic 1, because of Mr. Naka and Mr. Yasuhara. Because we made that game, together.”
Tweaker: “Least favorite?”
Ohshima: (laughs) “There was nothing in particular I did not enjoy working on.”

Spanner: “What is your opinion on the current direction of Sonic, and Sonic Team overall?”
Ohshima: “I think they are great creators. I’m not worried about them.”

Cinossu: “Was always Sonic always designed to be blue because of Sega’s logo, or were other colors considered?”
Ohshima: “That’s part of the reason. It’s also because of the psychological tests that have been done with color, and blue is ‘cool’ in appearance.”

For those of you who missed the Q&A, you have a second opportunity to ask questions, and questions with greater depth: this thread over at Sonic Retro will be for additional questions, which will be then sent to Ohshima and answered via text.

More as it happens!