‘Ratatan’ Development Diary: Special Edition – Complete

‘Ratatan’ Development Diary: Special Edition – Complete

Opening Remarks

Hello everyone, I’m Hiroyuki Kotani, the game designer for “Ratatan”.

Was wondering if you all enjoyed the development diary posted by the producer earlier? This time, we’re changing things up a bit, and I’ll be addressing what it means to ‘complete a game’.

After much anticipation, “Ratatan” has finally reached the moment of completion and is about to officially set off on its journey.

The Special Moment of ‘Completion’

The moment when a game is finally going gold— Whether it’s an indie game or a large-scale AAA title, it is an exceptionally special moment for every member of the development team.

Since entering the games industry, I have experienced such moments countless times, but “Ratatan” has evoked a complex mix of emotions that is utterly unique and unlike anything I’ve felt with any other project.

Recollections: “Patapon”

In retrospect, it has been six years since the project was launched; dating back from the start of the Kickstarter campaign, it has already been a full three years.

Compared to the games I’ve produced in the past, this is a title that took a remarkably long time to come to fruition.

By contrast, the development period for “Patapon”— counting from the completion of the prototype— was, in fact, just one short year.

Why was the development time so short back then?

It was because, at one point, “Patapon” was in danger of being cancelled.

The Crisis “Patapon”

One day, whilst I was busy trying to secure the production budget for “Patapon”, I was summoned to my manager’s office.

The personnel decision my supervisor conveyed to me there was that I was to be relieved of my duties as producer.

To be honest, as someone with an innate creative temperament, the managerial role of producer was never really suited to me; at the time, I even found myself thinking: ‘I’d love to step down from the producer’s role as soon as possible so I can devote myself entirely to the production.’

Yet, at that very moment, the first thought that sprang to mind was— a profound sense of unease: ‘If things continue like this, will it become impossible to carry on with the production of “Patapon” ?’

A Miracle Born from Adversity

For the entire production team, myself included, “Patapon” was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and a diamond in the rough.

However, as it was a game with absolutely no precedent, there was very little data available to gauge its commercial value; at the time, it was an extremely difficult project to assess in terms of its potential.

So, I made a request to my manager: if my departure from the company was the only way to ensure the production of “Ratatan” could continue, then even if I had to participate as a freelancer, please let me see this project through to the very end.

Looking back now, it was a rather presumptuous request.

I didn’t believe I alone possessed such great value.

Even so, my manager accepted my determination and helped me negotiate with the company.

Ultimately, we were granted permission to continue production of “Patapon” for a period of one year.

A whole new experience brought about by minimalism

To be completely honest, at that stage, the very framework of the game as a complete product hadn’t even been finalized.

All I had in mind was a grand vision, crammed full of strategy, world-building and story, all in the pursuit of perfect commercialisation.

Or to put it more honestly, it was precisely because I cherished this project so deeply that I simply couldn’t bring myself to make any tough choices.

No matter how many elements I crammed in, I’d always be plagued by the nagging thought: ‘Is this still not enough?’

However, the company had given us just one year; we simply had no time to hesitate.

Adversity is often what best brings out a person’s potential.

To meet the deadline, we worked non-stop (though the process was truly agonising) to build the core framework of “Patapon” — ‘A journey to the ends of the world, undertaken by deities and the Big-Eyed Monsters in a mundane world.’

The result was a game with a narrative as simple as a fairy tale.

And it was precisely this minimalism that, in turn, highlighted and emphasised the unprecedented freshness of “Patapon”.

An Opportunity Bestowed by the Gods

If the company hadn’t set us a one-year deadline back then—

we might have crammed in too many elements out of a sense of unease, causing the “Patapon” project to ultimately lose its way.

In other words, that was precisely the opportunity bestowed upon us by the gods.

I often discuss this with the director, Mr Iijima: ‘This really is a case of “a blessing in disguise”, isn’t it?’

The Realisation of ‘Completion’

When making a game, one is always tempted to cram in more and more elements.

Game creators are constantly plagued by anxiety.

But please make up your mind to finish it at least once.

Whether it’s good or bad, present it all to the world with confidence.

A New Beginning Born of an End

Coincidentally, as the environment surrounding JAPAN Studio underwent dramatic changes, the spirit of “Ratatan” took on a whole new form.

Had it not been for those changes, “Ratatan” would never have come into being.

It is precisely because there was an end that a new beginning could emerge.

Perhaps the birth of “Ratatan” is yet another opportunity bestowed upon us by the gods.

By extending and connecting the spirit inherited from “Patapon” in a brand-new form, “Ratatan” was thus brought to fruition.

A Message to the Reader

Whether you are a game developer or a player, we all experience the moment of ‘completion’ in the same way.

That is not the end, but the beginning of the next chapter.

If you are currently working on a creative project— even if you feel lost or troubled— please try to ‘complete’ it first.

Taking that step will surely bring you the opportunity for your next creative endeavour.

I believe “Ratatan” is the best proof of this.

And the next chapter in your story with “Ratatan” has surely already begun, quietly.

Written by: Hiroyuki Kotani (Ratatan Game Designer)