2021.6.10
Content pre-recorded in accordance with current COVID-19 health and safety guidelines. This article has been translated from the original Japanese content.
Idol group
Please tell us more about the Nodon that you mentioned earlier. How were those characters born?
At the beginning of the project, our key phrase was "creating is fun”, so I was constantly consulting with the designers to create a fun atmosphere, no matter what – even on the programming screen. And I thought, “Hmm...we may not be able to achieve this goal with these methods...”. In Toy-Con Garage from Nintendo Labo and the Game Builder Garage of this title, you create games by arranging different functions, called "nodes". As we were discussing this project, someone suggested that we should treat the "nodes" like an idol group (a pop music idol group).
An…idol group?
Right. The idea came up as, “Why don't we anthropomorphise the various functioning nodes and create a unit like an idol group, releasing an original song?”. If you integrate each role into a song, one by one, you might understand how each mechanism works...
I see. I definitely see it, when you think of it as a group of people with different roles and personalities.
At first, it was a joke that came up from a side chat when we were struggling to find ways to make the game programming screen feel fun. (laughs) I thought that an idol group was too extreme of an idea, but it was obvious that it’s hard to understand the workings of nodes at a quick glance, so we thought that by giving them a personality, character, or face that comes from each of their functions, they may be more recognisable. We then also thought, “If players grow to like them, it might be easier to remember what they do". So, then it became, "I like the anthropomorphised characters...”. And then, “Let’s give them a name that is easy to remember: Nodon!".
It's certainly a lot easier to remember it that way. (laughs) How do these Nodon characters appear in the lessons?
Each Nodon in the lesson will explain their function on the programming screen.
You also have Alice’s Guide(named for the other instructor), where you can learn more about the mechanisms and functions of the Nodon in the lessons.
By the way, how many types of Nodon are there?
There are over 80 types! Not all of them appear in the interactive lessons, but even for the ones that don’t appear in the lessons, you can check the reference section, called the Nodopedia, to learn about their functions in detail. For example, there are some Nodon that have functions unique to Nintendo Switch, such as the ability to make the Joy-Con controllers vibrate or detect the shaking motion of the Joy-Con controllers, so by combining these Nodon, you can create a variety of games.(3)
(3)Nintendo Switch Lite can also function in the same way by wirelessly connecting to Joy-Con controllers.
To make use of Joy-Con features on Nintendo Switch Lite, a Joy-Con pair is required and the Nintendo Switch adjustable charging stand is recommended. A device to recharge Joy-Con controllers, such as the Joy-Con charging grip, will also be required. For more information, visit the Nintendo Switch Lite website.
If you understand the roles of the Nodon and put them together, you can make different games with just that knowledge. But instead of being caught in the fixed idea that you HAVE TO make a game, you could try creating a program where you’re simply walking in the scenery of the city that you live in, for example.
I see. So, now that we know that there are many different kinds of Nodon, can you introduce a few that have unique features?
As for unique features, I think the Texture Nodon and Background Music Nodon are the easiest ones to understand. With the Texture Nodon, you can draw your own pictures and display them in the game, and then stick them on the surface of various objects and move them around.
The Background Music Nodon plays background music. You can choose any of the four parts you like – melody, main accompaniment, sub-accompaniment, and rhythm – and combine them to arrange your background music. It allows you to choose the music that fits the game in your own way.
Personally, I’m a fan of the On Start Nodon.
The On Start Nodon? The Nodon sound like they have highly specialised abilities.
That's right. The function of this one is to output only at the moment the game starts, but it’s a creature that has a big burst of energy, and the visuals and everything give off that kind of atmosphere, so it's cute. (laughs) Then there's the Timer Nodon, which, as its name suggests, outputs at a specified time. Its personality is also very particular and precise, but I like it because it has a human touch.
I’m a fan of the Bullseye Nodon. It’s a Nodon that can tell whether or not a “marker” is displayed at a specific location... For more advanced users, you can create your own original music by combining it with the Counter Nodon, the Marker Display Nodon, and the Play Sound Nodon. It's a niche kind of creature, but I like it as a character, and when you master its functions, you'll discover some of the less apparent possibilities of the Game Builder Garage. Once you start using it, you'll get hooked on it, and that's a good thing... It's a bit of a grown-up among the Nodon. (laughs)
So Teshima-san is a fan of the cute characters, and Masuda-san likes the ones with deep functionality.
The Nodon not only explain things to you, but they also react in various ways when you connect them, and their personalities and expressions vary, so I hope players will enjoy them.
We hope that players will find their own favourite Nodon.
