Interviews// 'Ms Virtua Tennis' - Mie Kumagai

In between mini-game sessions and late-night Virtua Tennis 3 parties, SPOnG found some time for a brief chat with ‘Ms Virtua Tennis’ herself, Department Manager of SEGA's AM R&D Dept. 3, Mie Kumagai, about her team’s latest release.

SPOnG: Virtua Tennis 3 is almost set for release, so congratulations are in order. Are you completely happy with the final product?

Mie Kumagai: We did have some ideas we had to pass over due to a limited amount of time before the launch of PS3. Overall, though, we are very much satisfied with the content as a package.

SPOnG: What are the key differences between the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of VT3? Which version do you play most in the office?

Mie Kumagai: AM3 developed the PS3 version as the original, and asked SUMO to port the title to Xbox 360 and add the online contents. Therefore, we are naturally playing the PS3 version more often here at AM3. In the PS3 version, we supported the Sixaxis motion sensor and made sensory gameplay possible.

SPOnG: What are the reasons for omitting online play from the PS3 version of VT3?

Mie Kumagai: The priority for the Virtua Tennis 3 development team on the PlayStation 3 console has been to maximise the known strengths of the console. We wanted to ensure that players experience the quality they have come to expect from a Virtua Tennis title. But we will be actively considering online modes for future versions of Virtua Tennis.

SPOnG: Technically, are the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions identical? Both run natively at 1080p, don’t they?

Mie Kumagai: Optimisations were performed to conform to the attributes of each platform. Ultimately, fine images could also be realised in the Xbox 360 version, thanks to SUMO’s efforts.

SPOnG: The VT series has come a long way since its Naomi debut. Do you see Virtua Tennis 3 as more of a simulation than a typical arcade sports game?

Mie Kumagai: One of the VT series’ mantras has been to “enjoy super play with simple controls” and that has definitely been inherited by VT3. So in that regard, we can say that the title is in a casual arcade style. On the other hand, we also exerted effort to realise more tennis-like animations in the game’s development. Adding individual swing forms for the licensed players, as well as new shots, we also doubled the number of player animations compared with those in VT2.

As a result, tactics became even more varied, such as putting the opponent off balance back and forth around the court, and flexible expansions of matches.

SPOnG: How difficult was it to give the game’s characters the spirit of their real-life counterparts?

Mie Kumagai: We had a lot of cooperation from licensed players and agents to realistically reproduce them in the game. In particular, we would not have been able to realise realistic player models and facial expressions in VT3 without receiving permission to directly take their pictures. AM3 staff accompanied the photo sessions and gave directions to shoot necessary cuts.

Moreover, I believe a contributing factor of our success is due to the fact that we could record quality animations of the players, and design AI at a high completion level based on intense studies of the tennis players by our staff.

SPOnG: Which courts are you most pleased with? Wimbledon’s looking fantastic…

Mie Kumagai: I am also satisfied with the British lawn court, but it is actually not Wimbledon’s! I believe you can sense the breeziness and beauty of sunlight that are unique to such open courts. Of course, also in other tennis courts all around the world, regional characteristics and time zones are reflected, and gorgeous colours have been added to the in-game cutscenes.

SPOnG: Do you have plans in place already to develop Virtua Tennis 4, or are you thinking of doing an original project next?

Mie Kumagai: We are currently developing the PC version of VT3, and localising other versions, but we are beginning to work over ideas for our next title. As for a new title in the VT series, we would first like to listen to the feedback of the users, and then decide on our future direction.

SPOnG: Finally, is there any chance we’ll see Virtua Tennis on Wii in the future? That seems to be a perfect match, don’t you think?

Mie Kumagai: There are already lots of tennis games released on Wii! That said, if we receive many requests we could maybe think about it.

SPOnG: Thanks for your time, Kumagai-san!

Don’t forget to read our Virtua Tennis 3 preview right here.

PLUS: Read our interview with Kumagai-san from September 2006 for even more background information!