Yoshi’s Crafted World devs on using Unreal Engine 4, no plans for new amiibo
Yoshi’s Crafted World is noteworthy due to the tech behind it. Rather than using something like an internal Nintendo engine, the game was built with Unreal Engine 4.
Good Feel executive VP Etsunobu Ebisu spoke with IGN about the decision to create Yoshi’s Crafted World in that environment. Ebisu explained that “Unreal Engine made it easy to make adjustments to the visuals, and allowed us to produce textures we were satisfied with.”
Ebisu’s full words:
“As our theme for this game was ‘crafted,’ we set out to give the game a look and feel of something a child might create by hand. However, creating this sort of aesthetic was very difficult, and we had a hard time nailing the look we wanted at the beginning of development. You really need to get the details right when trying to make crumpled up paper or paint splotches look convincing in a game, and players also need to be able to tell at a glance what type of materials they’re seeing on-screen. Unreal Engine made it easy to make adjustments to the visuals, and allowed us to produce textures we were satisfied with. And when it comes to making these crafted objects feel real, their physical properties are every bit as important as aesthetics. The physics engine the Unreal Engine makes use of also proved handy for accomplishing this goal.”
Longtime Nintendo developer Takashi Tezuka also participated in the same interview. When asked if there are plans for any new amiibo related to the game, he confirmed that it’s not something currently in the cards.
He said:
“We don’t have any plans to release amiibo. However, I think it would be possible to actually create many of the crafted gizmos and devices that show up in the game yourself. This gets a bit into a discussion of game design, but for the purposes of playing through the world of the game, we envisioned Yoshi to be about two or three inches tall. Then we thought about the type of craft materials and components we could use to fit that scale. The milk cartons, candy boxes, and lids for bottles that you see in the game are all things we made up, but their size and design are based on their real-world corollaries. Some players might really enjoy creating their own collection of craftwork contraptions. Also, paying close attention to all the objects and materials being used while you play will help you appreciate the unique look and feel of this game to its fullest.”
