Among the various booths exhibited at "Tokyo Game Show 2024 (TGS2024)," one of Japan's largest gaming events, there was a booth where children and adults alike enjoyed playing games. The name of the booth was " Osaka Electro-Communication University." Located just inside the hall, the booth stood out from the crowd, and I am sure that everyone who attended TGS2024 must have seen it. We interviewed Shugo Takeda, a representative of Osaka Electro-Communication University, where games are created from scratch by students, and Zenryu Mori, a specially-appointed associate professor.
Interview with Mr. Takeda and Associate Professor Zenryu Mori!
Q. Have you exhibited at TGS in the past?
Takeda: Last year we exhibited at TGS with a game we created called "Octopus Yuusha.
Q. Did all departments participate in this year's booth?
Takeda: The Department of Digital Games is the main organization, but two game-related departments are leading a competition within the school, and the selected works are being exhibited at TGS.
Associate Professor Mori: Takeda has participated as an engineer in various titles, and the game he participated in this time is lined up in the center!
Q. Are all of the games produced by students?
Mr. Takeda: Yes, we did. The professors give us advice.
Associate Professor Mori: We hold competitions on campus and provide various feedback at that time. But in the end, it is the students who do the hard work.
Q. How do you produce your work?
Takeda: From the planning stage. For the games we are exhibiting, we start planning around February or March of this year and start working on the program around the beginning of the first semester, aiming for the BitSummit in Kyoto. After the event, we brushed up the game and exhibited it at TGS.
Q. How long did it take you to create the game?
Takeda: It took about six months. Some other teams took 4 or 5 months to get to this stage.
Q. What do you learn at school?
Takeda: I am a program major, but students can choose what they want to study depending on where they want to go. For example, if you want to be a modeler, you can choose a design course.
Q. For those who are not sure what they want to do?
Takeda: Some students take a variety of classes to learn.
Q. What was the response to your exhibition and trial games?
Associate Professor Mori: At BitSummit, we exhibited the game in single-player mode, and at TGS, we exhibited an upgraded version of the game in competitive mode. The students worked hard with Takeda's support, didn't they?
Takeda: I just supported them! The second-year students did a great job (laughs). I have wanted to exhibit my game at TGS at least once since I was a first-year student, and last year I was not selected for the intramural slot, but this time I was selected as a team, so I am very happy.
Associate Prof. Mori: I felt a great sense of accomplishment when we actually exhibited our game, but I think we did a good job because I was able to see people "cackling" as they tried out the game against Vtubrt.
Q. Did you see the other booths at TGS?
Takeda: Yes, I did! I looked at the famous booths and the booths of the students around me and wondered what they were made of.
Q. Is it like a "student disease" as opposed to an "occupational disease"?
Takeda: Yes, I had that kind of thinking! I can do this!" or "I can't do this! I can do this!" and "I can't do that!
Associate Prof. Mori: In my case, I think about the scale of the booth, and sometimes I think, "I wish I could be like this.
Takeda: Other times, I can only look at things from an implementation standpoint, so I look for bugs and think, "I did it! (laugh). Being able to see bugs means that I can understand the implementation, so I can think, "If it bugs like this, then it must be like this! " or rather, I find it interesting to search for bugs from places I can't see!
Q. What is your favorite game or a game that left a strong impression on you?
Takeda: I've been playing MonHun since I was in elementary school! I wanted to go to the game trial, but there were too many people and I lost the battle for the ticket... (crying)
Q. What are your dreams for the future?
Takeda: I want to be a game engineer.
Associate Prof. Mori: I want to be bought delicious sushi by my student who became a game creator!
Reika & Rui Poyo: Professor!
Mr. Takeda: I want to go and show them how much I've grown!
Osaka Electro-Communication University making use of specialized learning
Osaka Electro-Communication University, which offers cutting-edge classes and presented a wonderful exhibit at the Tokyo Game Show 2024. The game is easy to play, but you have to think hard to clear the game," was my impression after playing it for the first time. A wide range of gamers were playing the game in the booth, and we hope that this will contribute greatly to their experience in the future!
Osaka Electro-Communication University's Department of Digital Games in the Faculty of Informatics will be reborn as a single department with three majors in April 2026. We look forward to the further emission of next-generation creators, and students who are thinking about entering the university should check the official website of Osaka Electro-Communication University.
Sorry, this article is only available in Japanese and 繁體中文. at the moment.
