Ocarina of Time 3D team struggled with increasing the game’s frame rate
Updating a game isn’t always the easiest thing to do. The latest example of this is Ocarina of Time, in which the development team struggled a bit with increasing the frame rate for the 3DS version. The staff talked about how the N64 frame rate changed in different areas of the game in the latest Iwata Asks, though this time around Nintendo and Grezzo wanted to ensure that the frame rate consistently stayed at 30 frames-per-second.
Iwata: When a game’s graphics change to 3D, a lot of new discrepancies arise, so you had to address those points as well.
Aonuma: Yes. It was hard enough just dealing with the Nintendo 3DS system’s increased frame rate.
Moriya: Yeah. That was the hardest this time. The trouble that the original staff had experienced was visible in the program source code. For example, there were remains of frantic calculations written in it, like 10 + 1 + 2 – 5. It must have been really tight.
Iwata: It was not easy to change the frame rate of the software created in the past. Especially considering that the original game included different frame rates between the heavier and lighter processing parts.
Moriya: That’s right. When there was a number assuming a processing delay, we held our heads in dismay!
Aonuma: Back then, we might assume a processing delay would occur, but we would work hard to find a way so that players wouldn’t pick up on it. In particular, the battle against Ganon was sluggish.
Iwata: But that slightly heavy feeling made Ganon seem large and heavy.
Aonuma: That’s right! If his movements were swift and sharp, it would be weird.
Shimizu: Recreating that is hard.
Tonooka: With regard to collision detection8 between Link and monsters, the original was 20 times in 1 second, but this time it’s 30 times and the movement is smoother. But Ikuta-san said, “Isn’t it more difficult than before?” I had tried to program it so the difficulty wouldn’t change, but the more precise collision detection had changed the way it feels. So I was careful about such things to make sure it felt as similar to the original as possible.
Ikuta: Sorry, I didn’t know the reason. I just felt like something was different.
Tonooka: I’m impressed that you noticed! (laughs)
Aonuma: That’s right. You never forget what you learn with your body. Experience is important.
Iwata: Just like learning to ride a bicycle, once your fingers learn a game, they never forget how it feels.
