【あまたのスタッフブログ　AMATA Matters（あまたま）】

*English translation below

こんにちは、あまたのプロジェクトマネージャーの三鴨です。

今回、CEDEC2018のブログ担当を拝命し、ちょっと違った視点でレポートができないか考えました。面白い講演はいっぱいあったのですが、一番印象深かったのが女性クリエイターの方々の輝く笑顔でした。年々、女性の登壇者の方が増えつつあり、活躍する姿が拝見できるのは、同じ女性として、とてもうれしく感じています。

そこで、今回、私が出会った素敵な「女性クリエイター」の皆さまをご紹介したいと思いました。

講演の内容に詳しくは触れていないので、CEDiLの講演資料も併せてご参照頂けると幸いです。
http://cedil.cesa.or.jp/

===================
トキメキとは何か ～乙女を恋へと導く新たなアプローチ～
http://cedil.cesa.or.jp/cedil_sessions/view/1770
株式会社ヘキサドライブ　2Dアーティスト・アートセクションチーフ
阿部 浩美さん
===================

ヘキサドライブさんと言えばアクションゲームが得意で硬派な技術屋集団というイメージだったのですが、その傍らで、このような女性向けゲームを出していたとは…！

MakeS -おはよう、私のセイ-
https://make-s.jp/

目覚ましコンシェルジュプログラムの「sei」というキャラクターが、目覚まし、カレンダー、便利メモなどの生活サポートをしてくれながらコミュニケーションもとれる、女性のためのアプリです。

このMakeSをリリースするまでの経緯、アプリの設計思想、そして運営に関してのお話でした。このゲームを企画・ディレクションされたのが阿部浩美さん。

女性の「ときめき」という言語化しにくい感覚について、『繁殖』という視点での分析は納得できるものがありました。
また、阿部さんはママさんクリエイターなのですが、子育てを通じての経験や感覚もMakeSの設計思想に反映されているとのことで、特に「sei」の成長の仕様に、お母さんが子供に向ける細やかな愛情を感じました。

その他、今までにない「乙女ゲーム」を作るということで、プロジェクト化するまでの地道な活動の様子などは非常に面白かったです。

私も乙女ゲームを作りたいと思うのですが、理解のない中でプロジェクトを推進していくというのは、ハードルの高さを感じて躊躇してしまいます。

その究極の解決策かも…と思ったのは、質疑応答の時間に「乙女ゲームに理解のない会社の上層部をどうやって説得したのですか？」という質問に対する阿部さんの回答でした。

「説得はしていないです。説得するより、自分がおかしくなった方がはやいと思った。」

とてもハッとさせられました。
新規プロジェクトを立ち上げる場合は、これぐらいの「覚悟」「潔さ」が必要なのかもしれません。

===================
「Unreal Engine」と「どうぶつしょうぎ」、二つの成功事例から学ぶ異国間・長期プロデュースノウハウ
https://cedil.cesa.or.jp/cedil_sessions/view/1846
日本将棋連盟 女流棋士 / 株式会社ねこまど 代表取締役
北尾まどかさん
===================

「Unreal Engine」と「どうぶつしょうぎ」？
全く異なるものを並べたタイトルを見て、好奇心で聴講したこの講演。

株式会社AKALI 代表取締役 蛭田健司さん
北尾まどかさん
Epic Games Japan 代表 河崎高之さん

ご登壇者はこの3名の方々。
「Unreal Engine」と「どうぶつしょうぎ」が成功を収めるまでのプロセスが河崎さんと、北尾さんの交互に紹介され、そこから導き出される共通ポイントと、長期プロデュースのポイントがわかりやすく説明されていました。

この講演を企画された蛭田さんの「切り口」もお見事！だったのですが、ここにも素敵な女性クリエイターがいらっしゃいました。

「どうぶつしょうぎ」とは4歳児でも遊べるようにと作られた、ひよことゾウとキリンとライオンの可愛い絵柄のミニ将棋です。基本ルールは将棋を踏襲しつつ、マスも少なく、簡単に遊べるゲームデザインになっています。

出展：http://umekii.jp/_p/acre/8887/images/pc/ec90fc89.jpg

「どうぶつしょうぎ」のルールはこちらのサイトもご参照ください↓
3×4マスなのに奥深い・・・子どもも遊べる「どうぶつしょうぎ」の遊び方と魅力について
https://www.shogi.or.jp/column/2016/11/post_43.html

この「どうぶつしょうぎ」は世界34か国で遊ばれ、各国の文化に合わせたカルチャライズ版も発売されるなど、全世界的に広まりつつあります。

手軽に遊べるスマホ版もありますが、2019年春には任天堂Switchソフト「みんなのどうぶつしょうぎ」もリリースされるとのこと！この「どうぶつしょうぎ」を考案されたのが「北尾まどかさん」なのです。

北尾さんは、日本の伝統文化である将棋を広めるための様々な活動をされています。
「どうぶつしょうぎ」の開発、沢山の将棋関連の本の執筆をはじめとして、世界中の将棋のイベントや交流会に積極的に出向かれたり、将棋教室を定期的に開催されたり、地道で丁寧な活動を何年にも渡って行っていらっしゃいます。

『やさしくてよくわかる！　 はじめての将棋レッスン』
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/453721578X

結果の見えにくい活動を継続していく…
これはなかなかできないことですし、途中で投げ出してしまう人も多いと思うんです。
北尾さんの将棋に対するひたむきな「愛」を感じ、また、活動が実を結びつつある事をお聞きし、とても勇気をづけられました。

実は私は将棋が苦手なのですが、この「どうぶつしょうぎ」はチャレンジしたいと思いました。
そして、北尾さんを突き動かしている将棋の魅力とはなんなのか…？
今度お会いしたら、ぜひお伺いしてみたいと思います。

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プロジェクション型多人数対戦シューティング『SPACE INVADERS GIGAMAX』を実現するための技術
http://cedil.cesa.or.jp/cedil_sessions/view/1823

株式会社タイトー　デザイナー　秦南乃花さん
プログラマー　大杉郁絵さん
===================

プロジェクション型多人数対戦シューティング『SPACE INVADERS GIGAMAX』は、建物の窓や外壁を使い、かの『インベーダーゲーム』で対戦しようという、壮大なプロジェクトです。

プロジェクト自体については、こちらの公式ページもご参照頂きたいのですが、夜景・風景とも相まって、とても美しく迫力がありますよね。

http://www.liveinteractiveworks.com/contents/gigamax/

このプロジェクトの中心となったのが秦 南乃花さん、大杉 郁絵さんのお二人です。

当たり前ですが、投影する施設や建物の形状はマチマチです。投影面がカーブしてたり、柱や屋根などの出っ張りがあったり、機材とプレイエリアが川をまたいでいたり…
そこで「インベーダーゲーム」を、全ての参加者がフェアに対戦できるようにするために、どのように対応していったのかということが、具体的に説明されていました。

ハード＆ソフトの調整に加え、商業施設のため、作業が営業時間外の深夜～明け方になったり、遠方のために現地の確認が十分にできなかったり、悪天候など物理的な制限も数多くあったようです。私だったら、早々に「無理です！」と投げてしまうのでは…と思いました。

内容はスライドにきれいにまとめられていましたが、説明の端々から、気の遠くなるような試行錯誤の連続があったことが伝わってきて、胸が熱くなりました。

実施時の動画を見れば、このプロジェクトが大成功を納めたことがわかりますよね。
秦さん、大杉さんのお二人の頑張りに、心から拍手を贈りたい気持ちになりました。

「SPACE INVADERS GIGAMAX」は、株式会社スクウェア・エニックスのプロジェクト「LIVE INTERACTIVE WORKS」の開発です。
© SQUARE ENIX CO.,LTD. All Rights Reserved.

いかがでしたでしょうか。
4名の女性クリエイターから、技術的に学ばせて頂く部分も大きかったのですが、なにより彼女たちの姿勢に心打たれました。

覚悟、潔さ、ひたむきさ、情熱、根気、諦めない心…
プロジェクトの成功には欠かせない大切な要素だと思います。

女性クリエイターの力が確実にゲーム業界を動かす大きな力になりつつあると実感できた、今回のCEDECでした。
ますます、女性クリエイターが活躍することを祈って、レポートを終わらせて頂こうと思います。

※掲載の内容・画像は、所属会社様に許諾を得て掲載させて頂いております。

（三鴨）

https://blog.amata.co.jp/2018/10/23/cedec7/

The extraordinary female creators I saw at CEDEC2018

Hi, everyone. I’m Mikamo, a project manager here at AMATA.

I’m stepping in for the CEDEC 2018 blog for this time, so I wanted to see if I could write up an article from a slightly different perspective. There were plenty of interesting talks and presentations offered at the conference, but what struck me the most was getting to see all of the ecstatic- looking female creators that were present at CEDEC 2018. Over the years there have been more and more women getting a chance to step up to the podium and present, and as a fellow woman, it made me tremendously happy to personally witness this change.

So with that in mind, I wanted to take this occasion to write about some of the extraordinary women I came across during my time at the conference.

I’m not going to get too in detail with each presentation I talk about, so if you’re interested go ahead and have a look at the presentation materials uploaded on the CEDEC Digital Library (CEDiL) for more information.
http://cedil.cesa.or.jp/

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■ What does it feel like to have a crush? ~A novel approach to guiding young girls toward love~
http://cedil.cesa.or.jp/cedil_sessions/view/1770
HEXADRIVE Inc. 2D Artist and Art Section Chief
Hiromi Abe
===================

HEXADRIVE is mostly known for putting out action games, which gave me the impression that their staff must have been made up of dedicated engineers and technicians, but what I ended up coming across instead was a game made for girls!

MakeS -Ohayo, Watashi no Sei-
https://make-s.jp/

This game app is geared toward girls and it functions as an alarm clock-style concierge system that features a character named “Sei,” who is there for not just conversation, but assistance as well. This includes helping with everyday tasks like writing short memos, scheduling a calendar, and setting an alarm.

At the presentation I was able to hear all about MakeS and the story behind its release, including the game’s design philosophy, as well as management related topics. The design and direction of the game was handled by Hiromi Abe.

Part of the presentation discussed that heart fluttering sensation that girls feel when they have a crush on someone and how it is hard to put that concept into words. One approach that came up was understanding this through a “reproductive” point of view.
With that idea in mind Abe talked about being a mother, and apparently the design process behind MakeS reflects her own emotions and experiences from raising children. And in tandem with that, after seeing the way that Sei grows in the game I was reminded of that special love and care that a mother has for their child.

Also, it was remarkable to hear about her straightforward approach to getting the project off the ground and how she pushed forward to make an otome game that was unlike anything they had ever done before. (Otome refers to a genre of romantic story driven games that are typically designed for young female players.)

I would like to put an otome game together as well, but I start to hesitate when I think about the immense hurdles I would have to clear to get those who are unfamiliar with the genre on board in order to move the project forward.

My search for solutions motivated me to ask Abe about it during the Q&A portion of the presentation. I asked her, “How did you manage to persuade the higher ups at your company who weren’t familiar with otome games?”

She replied, “I didn’t try to persuade anyone. I figured that I should go straight to the people who were crazy about it like I was, instead of trying to persuade others.”

Her response was like a lightswitch for me.
This has to be the kind of determination and decisiveness it takes to get a new type of project like that up and running.

===================
■ “Unreal Engine” and “Dobutsu Shogi” – Taking two examples of success to study foreign markets and long-term production methodologies
https://cedil.cesa.or.jp/cedil_sessions/view/1846
Japan Shogi Association, Women’s Professional Shogi / Nekomado Co.,Ltd., CEO
Madoka Kitao
===================

I thought something along the lines of, “Unreal Engine and Dobutsu Shogi are featured together in the same presentation?”
Those two things seemed so unrelated from one another, that once I saw the title I knew that I had to attend the presentation and find out more.

AKALI Inc., CEO Kenji Hiruta
Madoka Kitao
Epic Games Japan, Representative Takayuki Kawasaki

This particular talk had a total of 3 presenters.
Both Kawasaki and Kitao presented together and discussed the different processes that led them to success with the Unreal Engine and Dobutsu Shogi. Through that discussion they found some commonality between their two success stories and made some points about producing over a long period of time.

Hiruta organized the presentation and gave a wonderful introduction as well! But, be that as it may, there was also an amazing female creator presenting there as well.

Dobutsu Shogi, which roughly means “Animal Chess,” features miniature shogi pieces with cute animal prints displaying baby birds, elephants, giraffes, and lions. It’s specifically designed so that even a 4-year-old can pick it up and have fun. The game follows the same basic rules of the game shogi, but it has fewer squares on the board to help simplify it and make it easier to play.

Here is an actual picture of the game:　
http://umekii.jp/_p/acre/8887/images/pc/ec90fc89.jpg

The site listed below also has more information on how to play Dobutsu Shogi ↓
Despite its 3×4 grid the game has a quite a bit of depth, and the page below reveals more about Dobutsu Shogi and why children are so fond of it.
https://www.shogi.or.jp/column/2016/11/post_43.html

Dobutsu Shogi, which is also known as “Let’s Catch the Lion!” in English, is going to be available to play in 34 different countries across the world. The game is being localized to suit different cultural contexts for each individual country, which is doing a lot to help Dobutsu Shogi make its way across the globe.

A quick and easy-to-play mobile version is available for smartphones, and it looks like they are also putting out a version for the Nintendo Switch in spring of 2019 titled, “Minna no Dobutsu Shogi.” The game itself was originally conceptualized by Madoka Kitao.

Kitao is a prominent figure in the world of shogi, and she does a lot work to popularize this traditional Japanese board game. Kitao has written a large number of shogi related books, participated in events and conventions for shogi across the world, and she also regularly teaches classes on the game too. Her wealth of experience that expands over many years was filtered into the development of Dobutsu Shogi, and her approach to all of this was straightforward and elegant at the same time.

“Quick and Simple to Learn! Shogi Lessons for Beginners”
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/453721578X

During the presentation a topic came up about pushing forward when success is still an uncertainty.
I would say that impossible circumstances like that often lead people to call it quits at the halfway point. But, I could see that Kitao has an earnest love for shogi, and it was deeply inspiring to hear about her hard-earned accomplishments.

Honestly I am not particularly good at shogi, but in that moment I felt compelled to take up the challenge with Dobutsu Shogi.
This also got me thinking about what draws Kitao herself to the game of shogi and why she finds it so awe-inspiring.
I would love to ask her in person sometime if I ever get the chance.

===================
■ SPACE INVADERS GIGAMAX and the technology required to offer a projection-style shooting game for large numbers of players
http://cedil.cesa.or.jp/cedil_sessions/view/1823
TAITO Corporation, Designer Nanoha Hata
Programmer Ikue Osugi
===================

SPACE INVADERS GIGAMAX is a large-scale projection-style game designed for massive amounts of players. This spectacular project took Space Invaders and other such games and projected them on buildings and other exteriors. This made it so players could enjoy playing each of these games on an enormous scale.

You can learn more about the project at their official website below, and they also have awesome nighttime photos that show just how breathtaking these games look.

http://www.liveinteractiveworks.com/contents/gigamax/

Nanoha Hata and Ikue Osugi were the main two creative forces behind this particular project.

As you can imagine the buildings and other structures that the games are projected on are extremely diverse with their shape and size. They had to account for curves along the projection surface, as well as pillars, roofs, and other such hindrances. In some cases they had to accommodate for bodies of water and install the necessary machinery along the water while making room for the play area.
During the presentation they thoroughly explained everything that it took to get this process up and running so that every participant that showed up to the event could play a game of Space Invaders.

On top of all the modifications this project required for each bit of hardware and software, they also had to accommodate the commercial spaces they were using and wait until the buildings were closed for the day, which meant that their work often extended from late at night until early morning. They also had to fully account for long distance to work sites, as well as watch out for bad weather and countless other physical restrictions that popped up during their work. The entire time I was hearing about this I thought to myself about how if it were me I probably would have looked at all of these obstacles and then immediately turned back after seeing how impossible everything looked.

Their presentation slides were nicely organized and succinct as well. However, what inspired me the most was hearing their detailed accounts of the seemingly endless processes of trial and error that they had to endure.

Once I saw a video of the finished product I could truly get a sense of just how massive an accomplishment it was to finish this project.
I wanted to stand up and clap my hands when I saw the sheer hard work that both Hata and Osugi accomplished together.

SPACE INVADERS GIGAMAX was developed by the SQUARE ENIX project “LIVE INTERACTIVE WORKS.”
© SQUARE ENIX CO.,LTD. All Rights Reserved.

So, that about sums up my report.
These 4 female creators that I covered here have taught me quite a lot in terms of technology, but more than that I was deeply inspired by their own personal outlooks.

They each reminded me of what what it means to be determined, decisive, and earnest, as well as what it takes to be passionate and have perseverance so that you never feel like giving up.
I would say that these are essential components when it comes to carrying a project through to the very end.

What I gleaned from my time at CEDEC was that female creators are finding the power and strength to successfully make their way through the gaming industry.
I’m going to end this report with my sincere hope that this trend will continue so that there are more female creators than ever before.

*Any published materials or photographs that appear in this article are displayed here with permission from their affiliated companies.

（Mikamo）