#109

[@KIWITALKZ]

TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 00:20 - Joining Retro Studios Right After Success Of Metroid Prime 1 03:02 - Correcting Retro Studios’ Toxic Environment 05:38 - Keys To Managing Game Developers/Management Tips 08:19 - Tanabe Is A Super Genius Of Boss Design 10:06 - Bryan Walker Can Beat The Boost Ball Guardian Outside Of Debug Mode 11:10 - Due To A Military Background Bryan Gave Input On The Galactic Federation Marines 12:13 - Bryan Praises Scott Peterson For Implementation Of Voice Acting 14:07 - It Didn’t Take Much To Convince Nintendo To Do The Metroid Prime Trilogy Package 15:05 - How Retro Studios Got The Donkey Kong IP/Miyamoto’s View On DK 20:21 - Nintendo Are Not Impressed Until They See Game Prototypes 22:00 - Western Publishers Are More Interested In Documents Than Prototypes 23:01 - Unreal/Unity Have Streamlined Development 24:00 - Mark Pacini’s Genius/Original Pitch For Metroid Prime 3 Was To Be Open World 26:06 - Bryan Feels They Fell Short With Prime 3 27:10 - Nintendo’s Slogan Is “To Delight And Surprise The Player” 28:03 - Bryan’s Experience With Satoru Iwata 29:03 - Most Gaming CEO’s Don’t Understand Whats Involved In Development 32:04 - Game Design Summed Up As “Turning Big Rocks Into Little Rocks” 33:22 - Hyper Mode In Prime 3 Took A Year To Implement 35:34 - Retro Studios Was The First Western Studio To See The Wii Remote 36:50 - Retro Studios Initially Were Really Worried About The Wii/Wii’s Success 38:28 - Iwata Was A Proponent Of The Blue Ocean Strategy/The Book - Innovators Dilemma 39:46 - Why Bryan Joined Deck Nine Games/Story Driven Games 41:45 - Writing Process Of Story Driven Games Like True Colour 43:10 - Giving Publishers The Reality Of The Cost The Implementing Certain Things 44:32 - Headcount Determines Budget/Cost Of Running An AAA Studio Per Month 46:03 - Cost Of Printing Discs, Retail and Marketing 48:30 - Digital Sales For Games 49:13 - Publishers Do Not Pay Out Bonuses Based On Metacritic Rating 49:44 - Retro’s Work On Mario Kart 7 51:12 - Mario Kart 7 Iwata Story 53:03 - Retro Did A Lot Of The Mario Kart Retro Tracks/Retro Were Huge Nintendo Fans 54:37 - Nintendo Were Inspired By Retro Studios Design Tool Kits 56:49 - Retro Studios Went To Japan Headquarters Quite A Number Of Times During Mario Kart 7 58:20 - Moment At Retro Studios That Sticks With Bryan Walker The Most 1:00:56 - Better To Have A Superstar Team Than A Team Full Of Superstars 1:03:11 - Deck Nine Games Going Forward 1:03:37 - How To Keep Up To Date With Bryan Walker

[@herethesphere306]

We've learned more about Retro Studios in the past couple weeks from these interviews than we have in the last couple decades prior combined. I hope more former employees come and chat with you!

[@KIWITALKZ]

Thanks! So do I😅

[@theherooftime]

To learn that Metroid Prime 3, at least during some segment of development, was intended to be an open world non linear experience really drives my hype for the new entry in the series.

[@Nigel222]

I come here exclusively for the Metroid related interviews. He seems like a top bloke. Keep up these Metroid related interviews please.

[@DDevilized]

Me too. For almost 20 years we've been in the dark about this absolute miracle of a studio. Really appreciate these interviews.

[@connormcpherson8793]

"I'd rather work with a Superstar team than a team full of Superstars." That's gonna stick with me for years.

[@derrickduplessy215]

This was on 🎯. Hit me right when I needed to hear it. Building a great team is hard but you cannot argue with the results and the peace of mind.

[@Goolix_Aero]

I could honestly listen to insights about Retro forever and not get bored

[@abdel4455]

I can't believe the development and even personal detais we get from these interviews! I'm so glad to be able to hear them from former devs

[@TreasureBoxReviews]

Great work, it's rare to hear such a detailed and honest account from someone who worked so closely with Nintendo.

[@dinglepuss8594]

There was a moment where i got a little teary eyed he seemed so heartfelt and touched by this interview

[@DragonCrestPC]

Brilliant team, DKCR is a masterpiece along with most of their catalog.

[@SynaMax]

The interviews just keep coming! Thanks so much for sharing, Reece!

[@KIWITALKZ]

Thanks bud! More to come hopefully.

[@docArr666]

Man, I really enjoy these interviews, I must've watched like 3 in one day. Maybe I'll sub.

[@jmason0622]

22:00 Very true. I guess it's more common in Asia. I worked for three years here in Singapore. Philippines is very Americanized, and I've worked with telecom companies and they were obsessed more with documents and meetings than prototyping, that usually came later. Here, the clients always ask for a prototype to see and interact with when a project finishes a sprint or a milestone. Of course, documents are important, signoffs and pricing and all that, but feedback were always more substantial with prototypes. It's like documents are just hors d'oeuvres and the prototypes were the buffet. The surest sign we did good was when the last prototype had only "minor" feedback and zero revisions.

[@The_Ostrich]

Lol nice, keep interviewing these top guys of the Metroid Prime games 😅👍. Next up is Mark Pacini

[@sanaon7453]

The 90's mindset of having individuals get into shouting matches to out compete their co-workers ideas for a major project, as Bryan Walker explains @6:09, reminds me of the cultural work environment that Steve Jobs had at Apple.

[@PigDan]

Fantastic channel and this was awesome. Great work. 💜

[@Noah-ost]

This was a great interview. Very insightful, and it's always great to hear the stories of so many great developers working together to make amazing games.

[@blakestewart7200]

I've really loved and learned a lot from these Retro Studios interviews you've done. Excellent questions that have elicited excellent insights.

[@creativecatproductions]

This was a great interview and I agree…..It can’t be a coincidence that Retro was so productive during Bryan Walker’s tenure. This was every bit as entertaining and well researched as the Mike Wikan interview. He really got me with that Wing Commander comment 😂 You do a fantastic interview, love this content. Bryan Walker actually contacted me and chatted with me a bit about my recent Retro Studios video, which was a great honor for me. He’s a cool guy and a font of wisdom for sure.

[@KIWITALKZ]

thanks bud! btw Your channel is cool man I have checked out a few of the videos, quite funny and good editing. Keep it up.

[@creativecatproductions]

@@KIWITALKZ thank you very much for checking us out! 😎

[@frname7665]

Would you be able to reveal a bit of what he said? Your video was worrying at best

[@creativecatproductions]

@@frname7665 he didn’t tell me any personal details about what went down at that time, only that he appreciated the video and that it jogged a lot of fond memories. He did confess that the toys at work thing was part of a long compromise and or struggle between retro staff and management that was a hold over from retro’s chaotic beginning as a GameCube developer. He was basically brought in to increase productivity and that’s exactly what he did for year after year. Retro was undoubtedly at its most productive during that time period. There’s a lot they can’t talk about and I understand that. When Michael Kelbaugh was appointed by Nintendo as the new President people were burned out and ready to walk. Mike Wikan confirmed this and reconfirmed the old story that kelbaugh asked for a few weeks to turn things around. For whatever reason even Mike Wikan won’t tell us what he actually did or what he promised the staff at Retro, but it worked. It’s also a big secret regarding that photo Reggie gifted to Michael Kelbaugh. There’s a photo with every retro character except one that’s blocked out on purpose….covered by a statue that’s placed in front of the image. According to Reggie it’s an insider reference about a retro employee and it’s all a big secret between them. People thought it was the lost retro game character but apparently it’s a big inside joke…that claim makes me wonder if the robot isn’t a reference to Bryan Walker? Supposedly it’s reference about someone. Anyway, someday somebody will tell us. Thanks for watching dude! 😎

[@JC21]

DKCR is honestly one of my favourite games. Bryan and Retro did a great job reviving the series.

[@Zeal543]

Loving these Retro interviews

[@Zulck-Arth]

This was so interesting tysm for this interview!!

[@thesis-and-nieces6722]

Metroid open world, less linear? Count me in!!! More ship action in prime 4? Hell yes!!

[@novustalks7525]

Thanks so much for another brilliant interview! It's so fascinating to hear these secrets

[@jeremiesinnett1521]

For the new Donkey Kong game on the Switch, i want they bring back Candy, Wrinkly, Swanky, Kiddy, Tiny, Lanky, Chunky, the other animal buddies, K. Rool and the Kremlings

[@luigiaiden2501]

This is awesome tbh man!!

[@samus-rd1channel]

I love Retro Studios!

[@yaldabaoth1306]

nice interview 🇫🇷

[@creativecatproductions]

I’ll be watching this tonight!

[@alwaysabiggafish3305]

When the one and only becomes "he's the only one" 🤣

[@mrdoggo3569]

Marvelous interviews, they just keep coming like that, im just saddened there wasnt a question related to Sakamoto. Now whens Mark Pacini coming?

[@athlonzero]

Monthly cost of cheap AAA project 44:49

[@foowoo1225]

🔥🔥🔥

[@mrwho995]

Not trying to be rude but how is this guy managing to secure all these interviews? Either he has connections or is a magician.

[@KIWITALKZ]

I live at the bottom of the world, hardly the place to be to have connections so I am a magician 👀

[@Leee275]

11:51 Yep, he got his wish.

[@zooms7889]

50:06 nin*nkm and nin*tkdr have entered the chat

[@Austinator0630]

Retro's take on Donkey Kong was a huge waste of time and resources.

[@DropkickNation]

I love you so much for searching out all of these people. :D Thanks. Bryan is awesome.