The Fabrication of MGS2 [METAL GEAR SOLID 2 RETROSPECTIVE 1]

[2k SUB SPECIAL!]
Welcome to Existence Season 2! Just like with 1998's METAL GEAR SOLID, we'll be delving way back in yesterday, by taking an extended look at everything we can about 2001's METAL GEAR SOLID 2: SONS OF LIBERTY, from story, to themes, to even technical design.
In this double stuffed opener, we go into the creation of MGS2 along a key moment to moment timeline, as provided by interviews and principally, the Document of MGS2.
0:00 Introduction
1:16 The debut of MGS1, and the coming wave of multimedia devices like the PS1 and 2.
4:10 Context: the UNSCOM Incidents in Iraq and other events
7:04 Rough draft for what will become the 'Tanker' Chapter
8:48 Context: Y2K
10:16 Context: The Tower of Babel and Paul Auster's NY Trilogy
11:53 The 'Hollywood Game' Idea
13:56 How MGS2 finds its composer
18:53 Networks, Extended Phenotypes, and Meme Theory
20:46 Why Information about the protagonist may have been 'suppressed'
21:55 The initial idea of calling it 'MGS III' (and some theories why)
24:50 The 21st Century Game
25:51 Draft 2 for the entirety of what will become MGS2
28:17 Context: Oil, Postmodernism, and Soft Power
30:28 Characters that won't make it into the final game
32:00 Paul Auster's the NY Trilogy and the Sons of Liberty
32:44 The 1990s and Artificial Intelligence
35:21 Development takes its course over the rest of the year
39:10 Early 1999, and more information on the technical aspects to MGS2
51:07 Summer of 1999, Plant chapter creation commences
52:29 Late 1999, the game takes shape
53:55 2000, and the use of notebooks a la NY Trilogy and Kangaroo Notebook by Kobo Abe during development
55:12 The iconic unveiling of MGS2 at E3 in the Summer of 2000
55:56 Final stages of photo research
58:19 End of November, a playable demo is produced
58:33 2001, the game enters post production
59:41 The events of 9/11 cause last minute changes
1:00:04 The game is completed in Fall of 2001

[@Jerrycourtney]

_You’re pretty good._

[@damien7490]

*finger guns*

[@iRemainNameless]

_Whooooooooo_

[@krishaddock9911]

I really love your programming however and I was poor as a church-mouse

[@BeardofBeesPool]

Snake: UNSCOM? Resolution 1194? Monica Lewinsky Incident?!?

[@Unknowniswhatiam]

LOL

[@Jose-se9pu]

The story behind MGS2 development is fascinating.

[@multitrackdriftu]

Your Japanese is atrocious, but everything else here is great. I served on three ships in Yokosuka. Two of my favorite games of all time are Shenmue and MGS2; little did I know just how much they were preparing me for what was to come in my life. MGS2 is ridiculously detailed with regards to the accuracy of the setting of the tanker as well as how the characters handle weapons. The labels on the walls of the ship are something you'll find onboard naval vessels, they're called bullseyes and they provide information as to what part of the ship you're currently at as well as the potential hazards in the area. The stances used by characters in this game are the same ones used for basic weapons training as well, something that many games of the time and even some today don't handle as well as this game did. It's pretty insane to think of how much craftsmanship went in to this game, especially when you consider how by today's standards it was made in almost no time at all and on a relatively low budget. That's not to get in to how the game's narrative and themes completely went over the heads of most people at the time. I wasted many a day in the 00's defending this game against people who were looking for any excuse they could to hate it, but it does seem that people appreciate it more now, even if MGS3 (undeservedly, in my opinion) still manages to hog the limelight in the eyes of the fanbase. Keep up the good work, and continue to do this incredible game justice.

[@vladik87]

I wonder how the reception to MGS2 would be handle today (considering the advertising before release and today’s reactionary internet culture). Always loved the series and this game. Btw, you pointed out some cool details about naval ships. That’s pretty awesome. Cheers.

[@multitrackdriftu]

@@vladik87 I'm not sure if you were a fan of MGS back then or not, but there was some initial backlash against MGS2, mostly stemming from not playing as Snake for most of the game. While it seemed minimal at first, by the time MGS3 released many people were outright trashing MGS2, and it only got worse as the 00's continued. Really, if not for the rise of social media and its effects becoming more obvious to most people around the mid 10's, there's a good chance MGS2 would still be the butt of every joke among Metal Gear fans. While I won't pretend I understood everything about the game's themes back then, I knew there was more to it than people were trying to say. I defended MGS2 for years to the point where I eventually stopped interacting with Metal Gear fans because every discussion led to the same points being dismissed by the other person. I'm glad the game is finally getting the praise it has always deserved; and really, given the game's themes of information control and manipulation of public perception, it's only fitting that it happened the way that it did.

[@vladik87]

multitrackdriftu I’ve been a fan since Metal Gear Solid came out. Was too young to play the original MSX titles back in the day. I don’t know, I always knew that MGS2 was special. The monologue by the A.I. at the end of the game has always stuck with me.

[@salsamancer]

Maybe all that craftsmanship was one of the reasons the game felt so short and anemic. It's not a problem today but I can remember it being an issue at launch.

[@jb111082]

@@salsamancer Also, it was designed from the ground up to be extremely replayable, and they succeeded on that front.

[@IQ2992]

So THATS why Emma is called E.E. Bless the ps2's processor. Best ever.

[@unkommentiertesgameplay]

...and George Sears (Solidus Snake) named after the Graphics Synthesizer (GS).

[@FuturasoundProductions]

UNKOMMENTIERTES GAMEPLAY Plus damn, good catch! I didn’t even consider that

[@somaticjet2717]

Extinction Entity

[@HeroJournalism]

Huh, I assumed it was an E. E. Smith reference (Lensman novels)

[@HeroJournalism]

or EE Cummings

[@newtypeJP]

damn kojima had clear glasses frames in the late 90's. im here thinking im fly with them on now and kojima out here like bro that was in 20 years ago

[@Exigentable]

Right? You see the shit he wears now, dude a trendsetter.

[@averagejoey2000]

the man cannot stop predicting the future.

[@thewave-qz9lt]

this is the most complete video about metal gear i have ever seen you just earned another subscription buddy.

[@DezuKiwami]

Make that 2.

[@kacperc71]

@@DezuKiwami same here

[@HeroJournalism]

@t h e w a v e 1999 - you gotta check out his MGS1 stuff

[@allahjoseph]

dude. im sayin... great work. U need to work with Kojima on the next one.

[@daveycadaver1649]

Same

[@skleroz899]

"-Sneaking mission 60, Weapons 80, -VR, huh. -But realistic in every way. -A virtual grunt of the digital age. That's just great." This really got to me when it came out in the news that the US army was considering training gamers as assault drone pilots like 3 or 4 years ago.

[@ZeranZeran]

They still do this, and the men end up with PTSD from all the people they know they're killing. The military was banking on them being dumb enough to separate it from reality, then again, I guess they succeed in that area with flying colors. Oorah

[@DialloMoore503]

“That’s what they want you to think; To take away the fear that comes with real battle situations. War is a video game. What better way to train the ultimate soldier.” - Plisken

[@mhopkins7954]

TTWCS vet, all I can say is......affirmative.

[@hughgrection7246]

Remember kids ! If you Hellfire a wedding you get extra points. Same for hospitals, mosques and schools. Until next time !

[@dracoyosh]

Classic

[@LikeAGentlemanPlease]

My mans over here did a 3rd year college level video dissertation! Bruh just changed the way I look at games forever. You damn right I subscribed!!!

[@FuturasoundProductions]

Your comment seriously made my day, thank you so much!

[@hughgrection7246]

Dude you're in for a treat. Homie's channel dedicated to pretty much just this. Get fn comfy man , you're going down a rabbit hole .

[@Ikcatcher]

ThorHighHeels: I have the most in depth MGS retrospective series! Futurasound: Hold my beer

[@MeanMisterMustard]

You said "around twenty years ago," and my heart died a little...

[@saiyansnake]

16:30 Holy crap!! Those OSTs would feel perfectly in place in MGS2!!!

[@onionsilk]

Y2K mass hysteria... ...I love it

[@user-to9lk8ix6h]

How could people fall for something so ridiculous?!

[@tesko_1]

I love how you use the VR mission music throughout this. Quality video for perhaps the greatest game I've ever played. Thanks for your hard work.

[@makotoyuki345]

Oh boy it’s gonna be a long one and I love that

[@lepa_gaming]

Hey :) Good to see another Persona fan

[@herbertpocket8855]

Oh man, the section about Harry Gregson-Williams makes me appreciate the music even more

[@CorruptInfinityOfficial]

one of my favorite games of all time, what pulled me into the series.

[@7ylerD]

This deserves way more views

[@Exigentable]

This channel is criminal. Criminally underrated that is

[@RENZEENO]

This is soooo in depth it's amazing man. Your research is crazy!! I love it. Please do the same for every MGS game! By the way where did you source all this information? It's fascinating man!

[@FuturasoundProductions]

Thanks so much! The Document of MGS2 was my main source for the actual dates and events (www.playstation.com/en-us/games/the-document-of-metal-gear-solid-2-ps2/). It helped that I was born in 1990, and I've been interested in some of these topics (AI, biology, geopolitics etc) outside of MGS for a while. I used that to steer my direction. I also went to school for fields that gave me training on how to find reputable sources and read them relatively quickly. But specifically, I used everything from Wired.com to Ars Technica, especially this old page here (www.arstechnica.com/cpu/2q00/ps2/ps2vspc-1.html).

[@timmeier4136]

@@FuturasoundProductions wait is this document no longer available? i can only the description of the doucment not the document itself, tried with ff and ie.

[@FuturasoundProductions]

@@timmeier4136 It's actually an entire 'game' (or really, an interactive making of DVD) of its own www.amazon.com/Metal-Gear-Solid-2-Document/dp/B00006RHKY

[@ironlionzion7772]

@@FuturasoundProductions the doc is gone. Got a 404. Can you see if theres another link? I'd try to find it but I'm a 45 year old woman who doesnt know anything about any of these games. I was an outdoorsy teen when gaming was just getting more popular and never did get into it. I'm just interested in how much the Q psyop has in common w some of what's in this game. Especially when I was already thinking the whole Q thing was quite possibly AI being used to lead these folks into some fantasy of "6D chess" to keep them all distracted and to cause division of we the people, keeping our eyes off the true enemies of us all. And now as we see these folks were also played in a different way, that will result in the mass censorship of us all. Folks blindly think it will just be censorship against "Q" supporters and everything currently being labeled "right wing extremism". Which now seems to cover any sort of anti establishment thinking. Always thought the whole Q thing was complete idiocracy. Couldnt understand how these Trump worshipers fell for this bs. However that doesnt mean I care of the ideals of the left either. I'm one of the rare few that sees through the fake left/right paradigm. But it's very interesting to think they incorporated into this game, the fake reality we are all actually living now.

[@trashstar3908]

@@ironlionzion7772 hoooooly shit are you ok?

[@nominaveis]

I am so glad to have found this channel, an absolute gem! These MGS video essays are amazing, truly. I was considering doing something similar, but yours outclass anything I'd be able to produce haha. Thanks for putting these out!

[@carloscosta1036]

memes jack?

[@MothersOfMars]

I’d be interested in watching it

[@ItalianJoe83]

10:16 & 29:46 - It may also have some analogies with the "Metal Gear Solid V Experience" (Paul Auster's "The New York Trilogy" books)

[@filandrianos]

Oh please Italian Joe. Enough of your nonsense

[@gundamsondam]

When you finish work, and have a long journey back home. Thanks bro keep up the good work.

[@stereosanctity78]

Man your videos are so well-researched and put together. They deserve way more views.

[@batmangovno]

Goddamn, I feel so useless after watching this. Hard to imagine doing anything that fast and that high quality. That goes both for MGS2 and your video.

[@rubenpaez3604]

Let’s go! This is the type of content we need more of. Top tier,keep up the good work.

[@zla3031]

dude this is amazing! incredible work!

[@natema5927]

Good stuff. Will definitely keep up with this series

[@ShineSpikePM]

hope your channel really blows up ive been loving these videos!

[@bjaarki]

Can't believe how long this was (in a good way), earned a sub man. Can't wait for PT.2!!!!

[@mrthickdick2810]

Great video! Cant wait for the next part

[@Kimchi_Studios]

I love docs made about MGS. You do a great job. I wasn't ready for that rerun of the Timebomb ad.

[@TheAquarius87]

Man, watching your video's makes me veel like replaying this series...again...

[@Mantekilla22]

I'm so happy i found this channel! As a massive metal gear fan I love this content and can't get enough

[@BadHumans]

Great use of The Document of MGS2

[@blueskyatfero]

Damn fine work or more appropriately... "You're pretty good."

[@frankhunter8703]

Such quality content and deep knowledge and understanding of what all went into making the games we love. Didn't find your channel till recently but now I can't stop going through the backlog keep up the amazing work

[@mutalix]

Your concisely thorough and articulate delivery rivals and exceeds other docs I've seen. You deserve a lot more subs, your channel is a bastion and citadel of all things MGS. And as far as I can tell one of the best documentaries on MGS2 I've seen.

[@thequestion2859]

Futrasound casually posting some of the highest quality well informed documentaries on the MGS series that it deserves for us all to watch completely free on KZbin. Thank you man, I'll support you as long as you wanna keep making MGS content. You help me to learn and discover more about one of the greatest passions in my life! By the way I loved your Shadow Moses Cafe podcast, I hope it comes back some time. Very informative and entertaining

[@satellite964]

Most MGS videos on the internet dissapoint. But you, you earned my sub man.

[@LiRamiel17]

Sir this video is just incredible! I've always been looking for all this piece of information on MGS and you have a good way of presenting!! Thanks

[@SnapThority]

Keep doing these my dude..... I love your videos and hope you get more subscribers!!

[@caravaneerkhed]

I’ve recently become obsessed with this channel, this is mathewmatosis quality analysis style content… and you make so many it’s very impressive!

[@BJ-zd2or]

Take of mgs2 and just details kojima added is incredible! I just knew there was something he was saying but couldn't put it in words. Kojima has good takes....

[@DezuKiwami]

Great stuff, glad to find your channel!

[@scuffedstreamlovers6611]

Great video man mgs is my favorite but never knew these kind of things without your channel

[@wreday720]

Really happy I found this, can't wait to watch

[@paulies5407]

Good work, squier!

[@Dominicankareem]

Just discovered this channel last night & watched some of your Final Fantasy & MGS vids & can tell we grew up admiring the same things. Never subscribed to a channel so fast ever keep up the good work fam

[@chrisgonzalez6816]

Your videos are amazing! I've seen a couple of your metal gear videos and damn. Stellar videos man!

[@Xamry]

8:34 omg I would have loved the aircraft carrier terrain! Every time I think I know everything about mgs2 the more I learn

[@jordanleopold93]

Futurasound is now my fav channel on KZbin. Awesome content on MGS man! Recently played MGS 1 & 2 for the first time and your vids have been so eye opening. Keep it up 😄

[@christianmol5459]

Thank you very much!! you are incredible!

[@TheSolidlad]

Job well done. True quality content. Trust me, those views and subs will just pour in, in a couple of weeks.

[@tashmitkhan2853]

This is incredible work for a channel with only ~3400 subscribers. Keep it up man!

[@TehUltimateSnake]

Damn dude you have so many videos on MGS2. Subbed for sure.

[@PetrifyingPumpkins]

Oh yeah, this is my type of content, looking forward to watching all your mgs vid essays.

[@sirwaffulz8430]

i can't believe your sub count is so low when your content is this good

[@filandrianos]

Awesome quality of Videos. Really interesting content. Thumbs up keep up the good work

[@torayujin3861]

I'll come back to this video but I'm actually going to watch one of your other mgs videos. I love your content

[@DannyMexen9]

Well done. Great video. I've subscribed.

[@FuturasoundProductions]

NOTICE: The portion that used to be between 22:43 and 23:54 is inaccurate, since nuclear and chemical reactions differ in several respects. So I decided to remove it. Broad connections still may exist between MGS2, hydrogen bombs, and general principles of chemistry. Perhaps they are beyond my capacity to understand without a great deal more of learning. The question of why MGS2 was originally called MGS3 still has many possible explanations, but an appeal to oxidation isn't one of them. Thanks to viewer Luke Q for the correction. I'll do a better job with fact checking in the future guys, sorry for the mistake and thanks for watching!

[@Crabbadabba]

What did you say at around 30:45? A maddening pursuit of what?

[@FuturasoundProductions]

@@Crabbadabba capital T truth hehe

[@Xamry]

Nicely done docu. Thanks so much

[@artariel3646]

This channel needs 1M subs. I saw this video first, now will proceed with MGS1 retro. Thanks for making corona isolation enjoyable.

[@therealbearminator]

You deserve waaay more subs. Congratulations on the 3k+ subs! Keep the videos coming

[@zeroXshinobi]

Dude....THIS IS AWESOME!!!

[@Xamry]

Omg thank you Harry Gregson-Williams for accepting. This is my favourite soundtrack EVER, especially “Alternative: Photo Shoot”

[@Xamry]

22:17 oop you used it 🥲🥲🥲

[@thedude7782]

I'm loving your videos!!!

[@SocksTBH]

You have extremely high quality videos, subbed a while back but just wanted to comment

[@kels.808]

Very insightful video essay. MGS2 is probably my favorite game in the series. I stood in line for a couple hours on launch day to get a copy and absolutely inhaled it within a day. I was transfixed by the story and it completely subverted all of my expectations (my only disappointment was that Raiden was spoiled in the manual, which I was reading on the way home). I couldn't get the game out of my head for weeks. Not only did MGS2 put its predecessor in a whole new light, it really heralded the new world order. Not to make light of a tragedy, but its fitting that it would come out within weeks of 9/11.

[@Kvelertaknes]

Amazing video, looking forward to the next one :D

[@Kvelertaknes]

Btw, the notebook thing was a stroke of genuis

[@Singapore-Aviation72]

Currently watching this while playing Mgs2 it’s my favorite game. Love this video. I’m getting the stealth camp for the first time. I’ve been playing this game since I was a kid back in 2004 I never really tried to get it until now!

[@WeezaY5000]

I just came from another MGS2 video. I think you got me hooked.

[@LiminalSpaces777]

17:50 The MGS2 theme song goes perfect with his explanation of the OST lmao

[@darknessviking]

really great videos i wish you great success

[@JumboStiltskin]

Subscribed! “MGS !!!” Could also refer to the negative two spaces between the three vertical columns

[@DannyMexen9]

Omg!!!!!!!! I'm freaking out right now

[@807D14M0ND5]

Respectfully, I think that's digging way too deep. I thought they made clear that they envisioned the game as 2 distinct parts. Tanker = MGS2 & oil rig = MGS3. Am I missing something?

[@wtfsamusidk7574]

How you made me love a game I once disregarded is fascinating. Bravo sir.

[@surrealistidealist]

These videos are great, but I think it's definitely time for some scholarly books that can digest it all.

[@Boomshakalaka2000]

I'm subscribing if this is the type of content you regularly put out

[@Shokisan1]

Amazing info. Best youtube channel

[@DesertFishHQ]

Ace content right here! Thank u for that

[@BeckoningSage]

3:30 I wonder if Kojima Named Emma After the Emotion Engine. Could also have multiple meanings, playing into Kojima's View on truth. As Emma could also be a nod to the term E.M.M.A mentioned when Raiden and Ames were talking about Solidus' plan. Little things like that are what make me love the Metal Gear Series.

[@melvinjansen2338]

E.E. is literally Emma nickname given by Emmerich

[@Captofthisship]

So much hard work went into that but started with a good pre-production. If I were a developer, I would have definitely taken notes just now. So many bad games could have been avoided with excellent practices like that. Outstanding video.

[@bloodveils]

favourite channel atm

[@foxhound91]

He's the most in depth mgs youtuber man i swear

[@smith6752]

great work

[@ironlung07]

please keep making videos like this

[@joecrogan8049]

keep doing these, great stuff

[@mhopkins7954]

Keep it going, I hope you see this 9 months later and see the irony of a gestation of MGS being reborn. You deserve MAJOR credit.

[@Khoura]

I just want to say, thank you for this! I make games and information like this really helps. It's entertaining too, but it definitely provides a lot of insight and stresses the importance of R&D. Again, thank you for this!

[@SeanKonneri]

Amazing documentary

[@WarDogMadness]

Great fantasy sounds like history and legend awesome essay bud .

[@philipkempbell7174]

53.15, that makes sense, as peeping round corners was not essential and always felt a last minute thing.

[@unknowninfinium4353]

Great work dude, deserves a sub. Narration can be improved but man it's good to see such comprehensive work done on art. It's funny Kojima doesnt considers game as an art when he is a master artist himself.

[@thequestion2859]

I'm so so very glad we got the version of MGS2 that we got, however that original script idea honestly seemed pretty interesting I'd love to see what that might have looked like in another world. Maybe you could do a video or something exploring some hypotheticals about where this series could have originally led to.

[@mbe102]

Whoa, is this a round up of all your prior videos or? ALSO, dude, wow, the subs! LOOK AT THAT! FREAKING ACE! EDIT: Nope... :O, wow! Dude I'm so damn happy for ya, and I'm incredibly excited to feast my eyeballs on this! Get that Patreon up!

[@cuatesanz5611]

Thanks!!

[@scribblenaughttv]

Did you use this for 301 college level classes man? I love your digital essays. I reflect on these games to such an extreme level; I am happy to see others distribute that level of content. So amazing man

[@Letooouriste]

SO MUCH CONTENT

[@unkommentiertesgameplay]

Mh, EE= Emotion Enigine/Emma Emmerich and the GS = Graphics Synthesizer/George Sears (Solidus Snake). Maybe coincidence but...its Kojima, who knows...

[@yeetleslaw8529]

hideo kojima is a mad man. He hired a real film music composter.