News ► Roundtable Chat with Tetsuya Nomura at E3 2015!

[Oracle Spockanort]

Cecily, Sophearum, and myself alongside Mike & Andy from DisneyExaminer, Alex from Kingdom Hearts Destiny, Branden from Kingdom Hearts Union, Churro from KH13 were lucky enough to get the chance to meet Kingdom Hearts series director Tetsuya Nomura and chat with him briefly about Kingdom Hearts 3 which made its grand reappearance this past week at E3 2015!

We thank Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura for having made all of this possible!

Tetsuya Nomura's autograph for Sophearum

--How did magic evolve for Kingdom Hearts 3?

Nomura: When it comes to magic in Kingdom Hearts 3, we really wanted to try to leave an effect on the surrounding environment. In the trailer when Sora would cast Blizzard, the blast would leave behind a sheet of ice for Sora to slide on, and when he cast Aero in a field, the wind would make an impression in the grass.

We are hoping to achieve those types of lasting effects in the world with the new magic skills, so please look forward to them.

--Are there any plans for further communication with fans online as a means of delivering news, such as through livestreaming (example: Final Fantasy’s Letter to the Producer / Active Time Report) or the Message to the Kingdom blog?

Nomura: Unfortunately, that is not possible for us. The reason for this is because of the risks involved when we actually do livestreaming for Kingdom Hearts. While we are able to hold livestreams frequently for Final Fantasy, it is a much more different process with due consideration to Disney. Even participating in Square Enix Presents here at E3 is a very delicate situation due to the risk of revealing information accidentally.

--What was your inspiration for Chirithy in Kingdom Hearts X[chi]?

When we were developing Kingdom Hearts X[chi], the development staff really wanted to introduce a guide for the Player character that would aid them throughout their journey. I thought a lot about how this character would appear as. This all took place before I acquired my own cats, but I had always wanted a Scottish Fold and decided to create Chirithy* based off of that breed.

--How do you select which attractions to use for Attraction Flow, and which rides do you like the best?

Nomura: We look at all the attractions in the Disney parks worldwide, particularly the ones that appear to be popular. We revealed a new Attraction Flow in the latest trailer based off of the Mad Tea Party with Sora, Donald and Goofy spinning around in teacups, but I was actually very surprised by the overwhelming positive feedback from the Western fans for them, as they are not as flashy as the other rides.

As for my favorite rides, I really like Disney World’s Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.

--In Kingdom Hearts I & II we were used to have a Disney character joining our party in each new world Sora and his friends visit. Will this mechanic be present in Kingdom Hearts 3?

Nomura: Right, the idea of having a Disney character joining your party was an important part of KH 1 & 2, so, yes you will be able to have Disney characters joining your team across the game, not just as a temporary party member in the worlds, but also as summons.

--How is the Kingdom Shader being used in Kingdom Hearts 3?

The goal of the Kingdom Shader is to evoke the feel of the brush paintings in each unique Disney world, just as we had always aimed to do. We are working to accomplish all of these different styles so that they will be properly reflected in each world in order to do the Disney properties justice, and we also have to decide if we will use them or go for a more realistic shader in certain worlds. The original worlds, however, will continue to use the same style.

--How was your time at E3? Were you able to check out any other games?

Nomura: Unfortunately I was too busy with interviews and was not able to see the other games being exhibited. I did, however, watch the first party press conferences online. I particularly liked Guerrilla Game’s Horizon: Zero Dawn and Ubisoft’s Tom Clancy’sGhost Recon.

--Was Kingdom Hearts 3 always planned to be released for the new generation of consoles?

Nomura: To be honest, it was not. It just so happened that the timing happened to work out in this situation. When the time came that we were ready and able to begin work on Kingdom Hearts 3, the Playstation 4 and Xbox One had just been introduced, so the best decision for us was to develop KH3 for the new consoles.

*Note: Tetsuya Nomura pronounced Chirithy "Chirishii", but his translator pronounced it "Chirithy" 

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DisneyExaminer | Kingdom Hearts Destiny | Kingdom Hearts Union | KH13

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[Bobjam]

Awesome interview guys and congratulations for being able to sit down with Nomura and ask him about none other than KH3 and ask great questions. I definitely wanted an answer to the live streaming, ATR question myself and it is actually very enlightening to hear about the fact it is more complicated due to Disney's stake in the game. In fact after seeing the two Disney execs video talk about tangled in kh3 I think it is obvious now that this will be Disney's biggest involvement in a kh game so far which is a great thing in all honesty!

 

[FudgemintGuardian]

I'm surprised Nomura is surprised that we love the teacups so much. It's the friggin' teacups, man!!

While the teacups may not be as flashy as the other two attractions we've seen, it's definitely the most fun looking, and, like most people, I like fun. Flashy doesn't automatically mean fun.

 

[robvandam111]

Was wondering if you guys were going to do this. Should have pulled the envelope a little bit more but that's fine. Glad to hear about the attraction flow. Could we see Disney's Tomorrowland in the game and have Sora use Space Mountain! Great interview from you guys.

 

[OathkeeperRoxas XIII]

I always wanted to eide the Tez Cup ride once, rode Tower of Terror, didn't scream at all.

Great interview.

 

[Sign]

Was wondering if you guys were going to do this. Should have pulled the envelope a little bit more but that's fine. Glad to hear about the attraction flow. Could we see Disney's Tomorrowland in the game and have Sora use Space Mountain! Great interview from you guys.

We'd have loved to, but since it wasn't a formal interview and more of just a meet-n-greet, we had to be really careful about not pressing for information, haha. So we just chose the ones that we felt would be safe for him to answer, but also that other sites might not have asked.

I'm very happy we got Chirithy's pronunciation out of that though~

 

[Lonbilly]

--How was your time at E3? Were you able to check out any other games?

Nomura: Unfortunately I was too busy with interviews and was not able to see the other games being exhibited. I did, however, watch the first party press conferences online. I particularly liked Guerrilla Game’s Horizon: Zero Dawn and Ubisoft’s Tom Clancy’sGhost Recon.

Nomura is forgiven for calling the handheld titles spinoffs now. He knows what's up.

Glad to hear Kingdom Shader is exclusive for the Disney worlds. I was hoping it would only be for the Disney worlds. I really wanna see what Sora would look like in some of the "odder" Disney titles now.

I'm very happy we got Chirithy's pronunciation out of that though~

Also glad about this.

 

[yungletti]

I am not a big fan of the attraction flow, seems like a gimmick to me. I hope that it is optional like summons, in which case I'm not going to use it. I feel like it'll take me out of the experience and it'll be a "press O to win" type of deal, which I'm not a fan of at all. I know Nomura said no more reaction commands, but I think it'll live on through attraction flow, which is no bueno.

 

[FudgemintGuardian]

I'm very happy we got Chirithy's pronunciation out of that though~

! Didn't see that note at the end there. I am pleased that to know we haven't been mispronouncing the name this whole time.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Awesome interview guys and congratulations for being able to sit down with Nomura and ask him about none other than KH3 and ask great questions. I definitely wanted an answer to the live streaming, ATR question myself and it is actually very enlightening to hear about the fact it is more complicated due to Disney's stake in the game. In fact after seeing the two Disney execs video talk about tangled in kh3 I think it is obvious now that this will be Disney's biggest involvement in a kh game so far which is a great thing in all honesty!

Sitting is a way to put it!

Yeah, I'm really excited to see what will come of Disney's involvement because this really feels like the first game in the series besides KH1 where it feels substantial.

secretly hoping this paves the way for adorable KH tsumtsums and Disney Infinity figures and a reference in WIR2

I'm surprised Nomura is surprised that we love the teacups so much. It's the friggin' teacups, man!!

While the teacups may not be as flashy as the other two attractions we've seen, it's definitely the most fun looking, and, like most people, I like fun. Flashy doesn't automatically mean fun.

I think the teacups are much more iconic in the states than they are outside of the states, so that might be why xD

The teacups beg to be rode when you are at Disneyland/Disney World because you HAVE to.

Was wondering if you guys were going to do this. Should have pulled the envelope a little bit more but that's fine. Glad to hear about the attraction flow. Could we see Disney's Tomorrowland in the game and have Sora use Space Mountain! Great interview from you guys.

It wasn't like we didn't have bigger questions to ask, but we didn't want to risk asking him something he would not be able to answer and waste a question.

I always wanted to eide the Tez Cup ride once, rode Tower of Terror, didn't scream at all.

Great interview.

Was it in Florida or in Disney California?

 

[LedxirnSimon]

This is more like Nomura dropped a huge KH3-related news bomb in our faces this month.

 

[OathkeeperRoxas XIII]

Sitting is a way to put it!

Yeah, I'm really excited to see what will come of Disney's involvement because this really feels like the first game in the series besides KH1 where it feels substantial.

secretly hoping this paves the way for adorable KH tsumtsums and Disney Infinity figures and a reference in WIR2



I think the teacups are much more iconic in the states than they are outside of the states, so that might be why xD

The teacups beg to be rode when you are at Disneyland/Disney World because you HAVE to.



It wasn't like we didn't have bigger questions to ask, but we didn't want to risk asking him something he would not be able to answer and waste a question.



Was it in Florida or in Disney California?

Fllorida, that was the only time I was there for Disney World and Universal Studios.

 

[Dandelion]

Really want Sora to be able to summon an elevator carriage now that falls from the sky and sends blasts of lightning out upon impact.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Really want Sora to be able to summon an elevator carriage now that falls from the sky and sends blasts of lightning out upon impact.

PLEASE. Just slam it down.

 

[Hakan Xatos]

Really liked Nomura's input about his favorite rides. Its leaning towards seeing tower of terror and rock n roller coaster attraction flow. With that being said I got this weird thought of Sora and Steven Tyler playing on "keytars" riding on the rock n roller coaster into an army of heartless..

 

[BEASTENDER]

"not just as a temporary party member in the worlds, but also as summons."

Kim Possible again becomes...possible

(also, if she really end up with Ron after their dating stage, wouldn't she be Kim Stoppable? lol)


I just hope we can fight alongside FF characters again too, instead of them being cameos most of the time.

 

[Org14Kurix(Riku)]

I think it's awesome how versatile each of the respective sites are: Kingdom Hearts Destiny has such a beautiful website and it's french, Kingdom Hearts Union has podcasts, KH 13 has the best video library, and Destiny Islands has the best game walkthroughs.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

I think it's awesome how versatile each of the respective sites are: Kingdom Hearts Destiny has such a beautiful website and it's french, Kingdom Hearts Union has podcasts, KH 13 has the best video library, and Destiny Islands has the best game walkthroughs.

Destiny Islands wasn't with us but yeah they do!

 

[Sora2016]

"not just as a temporary party member in the worlds, but also as summons."

Kim Possible again becomes...possible

(also, if she really end up with Ron after their dating stage, wouldn't she be Kim Stoppable? lol)


I just hope we can fight alongside FF characters again too, instead of them being cameos most of the time.

I feel like Kim would keep her last name, even though I don't think that sort of thing was ever mentioned on the show. I just think she would

Also, do you mean fight alongside like Auron or that one part in the siege on Hollow Bastion? Cuz I mean I could see them slipping in one more FF party member, but parts where they are guests could be much more likely. Especially since Leon and the gang are bound to be in the game again.

 

[Happyfunshineman]

Thanks for asking Nomura what other games he liked from E3. I remember in 2013 when he said he liked the look of Titan Fall, so I thought Horizon would get him excited too. There's this cute image in my head of Nomura's jaw dropping when the robot dinosaurs first appear.