ARM Backup/Settei book 3 translation/Interview

Pages 154 to 158

今だから言える制作秘話が満載！ Now, we're fully loaded with secret stories about the production of the game!

プロデュサー&ディレクターインタビュー Interview with the Producer and Director

『アルトネリコ3』の発売から1ヵ月強が経 過した3月上旬. まだまだ多忙を極める、 に存分に想いを語っていただいた. シリー ズのファンにはもはやおなじみの両氏だけ に、濃い裏話にご注目を！

Now it's March, a little more than month after [Ar tonelico 3] was first released. While they were still extremely busy, they both took a little of their time to talk about their feelings for the game. Since serious fans of the series should already be very familiar with both persons, we now call for your attention to those deep and hidden stories!

株式会社バンダイナムコゲームス プロデュ一サー

Bandai Namco Games Co. Producer

河内厚典 Atsunori Kawachi

『アルトネリコ』シリーズの総合プロデュー サー. 他にも『クレヨンしんちゃん』シリーズや、 『こちら葛飾区亀有公園前派出所勝てば天 副負ければ地獄両津流一撰干金大作靱』 などを手がける.

The co-producer of the [Ar tonelico] series. He has also worked in the [Crayon Shin-chan] series, and the [Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Ko-en Mae Hashutsujo Kateba Tenfuku Makereba Jigoku Ryouritsu Ryuuichi Senkan Kindai Sakujin] game.

株式会社ガスト デイレクター サウンドクリエイター・セクションチーフ

Gust Ltd. Director Sound Creation Section Chief

土屋暁 Akira Tsuchiya

『アルトネリコ』シリーズの世界観や楽曲を創 出した生みの親にしてディレクター. あらゆ るパートに関わリ、開発の指揮を執る.

The Director that also served as the creator of the world setting and music that defines the [Ar tonelico] series. He is involved in all the parts related to the series, and has total control of its development.

ユーザーの反響に手応え =Response to the Reactions from the Players=

＿＿：ゲーム発売から1ヵ月経ちましたが、今の 時点での手ごたえはいかがですか？

__: The game has been released since around a month ago, so how were the reactions you have received until the current day?

河内：発売になる前からいろいろな話題で盛り上 がっていただけたのが嬉しかったですね. 反響も 好評で、開発時の苦労が報われたという手ごたえ を感じています. シリ一スをプレイしてくださった ユーサーさんをはじめ、媒体の方々などにもたく さんの応援をいただけました.

Kawachi: I got pretty glad from the exciting topics that were being brought up until right before the game's release. The reactions have been very favorable, so I feel that all of the difficulties we encountered during development gave us a very gratifying reward. We first received the reactions from the players that have played the series from its beginning, and then, from all sorts of media.

土屋：ユーザーさんの反応を見ると、今回はキャ ラクターをとても好きになってもらえたな、という のがすごく実感できるんですよ. ヒロインだけじゃ なくて、サブキャラや多人格も可愛がってくれて いるんです. そこがとても印象に残っています.

河内：嫌われているキャラクターがいないよね.

土屋：それが良かったですね. いろいろなキャラ に支持があって、心が温まりました.

Tsuchiya: From looking at the responses from the players, I've been able to experience that I managed to create very likeable characters this time around. And this doesn't apply only to the Heroines: there are several secondary characters that are likeable on their own right, too. They seem to have left several impressions on everyone.

Kawachi: And furthermore, seems like there wasn't any character that everyone hated.

Tsuchiya: That makes me glad. It warms my heart that there is such support for all these different characters.

＿＿：社内では、どんなキャラクターに人気があり ましたか？

__: Who was the most popular character among the staff of the company?

河内:カウントダウン（※1）を見ていただくと 分かるんですが、なぜかフィンネル愛爆発のガス トスタッフがたくさん現れてました（笑）.

Kawauchi: You might guess from just looking at the countdown site (*1), but somehow, most of Gust's staff exploded in expressions of love for Finnel.

土屋:ガストスタッフはみんなSなんですよ. きっ と疲れて凶暴化していたんですね. フィンネルを 虐めて、ストレス発散していたのでは？（笑）.

Tsuchiya: Looks like everyone in Gust are S's, huh? However, it's true that they were brutally tired back then. Maybe bullying Finnel was their stress outlet? (*laughs*)

表現したかった"絆" =The "Bonds" we Wanted to Present=

＿＿：『アルトネリコ』シりーズは、"絆"を描くこ とが大きなテーマとなっています. 『1』では主人 公とレーヴァテイル、『2』ではヒロイン同士とい うように、何かしら大きな柱となる絆があったわけ ですけど、『3』で描きたいと思われた部分は？

__: The depiction of "bonds" has always been a major theme in the [Ar tonelico] series. In [1] it was between the protagonist and the Reyvateils, in [2] it was between the Heroines. So while somehow they were in [3] too, which kind of bonds are the ones you wanted to depict in it?

河内：特に前面には出していませんが、「変わり ゆく絆」がキーワードです. 主人公とヒロインの 関係もどんどん変わっていって、それによって絆 の深さも変わっていく物語ですから. 特に今回は、 今までよりパーティの絆をしっかりやろうと意識し ています. 絆が深まることによって、仲間との関 係も変わってくるわけですからね. また、3大勢 力との関係も変わり、それよりもっと大きい"星 の絆"までが変化していく. こんなふうに、「変 わりゆく絆」を中心に作っていたんですけど、やっ ていくうちにイメージが変わってきました. 堅い 言葉よりももっとハジけた、「すべてが壊れつつ 収束していく」という感じでしょうか. 僕が最初 に思っていた絆とは違う、別な意味での多方面な 絆が描けたんじゃないかなと思いますね.

Kawachi: While we didn't have any particular way of presenting them, the keywords this time around were [Changing Bonds]. The relationship between the protagonist and the Heroines are continually changing, which also makes up a story in which their bonds grow deeper. We also kept on mind that we needed to particularly deepen the relationships between the party members more than how we previously had done it, because the deepening of bonds also changes the relationship between friends and companions. However, we also wanted to change beyond the relationships between these three great forces, and we changed the theme into the much grander "Bonds of the Planet". It was in this way that we began creating the game with the theme of [Changing Bonds] and its very core, but we ended finally changing it into the image it currently has. It may be obstinate on my part to say this, but this game had pretty much the feeling of [fixing up everything that was broken], right? I initially thought that bonds were a very different thing, but now I know that they have several meanings, and can be presented in several ways.

＿＿：そのイメージの違いは、どのあたりから意 識されていたんですか？

__: How did you become aware of these differences in presentation?

河内:わりと早いうちだったと思います. 星の再 生をやろう、となったとき、それならもう、壊し 方も思いっきり壊そうと. そうなると、今まで以 上に終焉感が出てくるだろうなと思いましたしね. まあ、システムの破壊までは想像してなかったで すけど（笑）. パージはびっくりしましたよ.

Kawachi: I think I noticed them relatively soon after we started development. If we had to regenerate the Planet, then it meant that everything had to be destroyed as much as we could think it up. Because of that, I thought that this game had a far more apocalyptic feeling than the previous systems. Although well, I didn't imagine that we were going as far as destroying the game systems themselves (*laughs*). Honestly, the Purges startled me.

土屋：自分的には、『1』の原点に立ち戻って、 男女間の絆を重視しましたね. 一番プレイヤーの 方が共感できて、頑張ろうと燃えてくれるのは、 男女の絆というのが一番なんじゃないかって思う んです. 今回は変にギミックに凝るのではなく、 純粋に「主人公とヒロインの絆」というものを一 番前にしようと決めていました. また、男女間の 絆ということで、主人公以外にもたくさんのカッ プルが誕生しています. 『1』や『2』ではそう いう表現はやりませんでしたから.

Tsuchiya: Personally, I decided to return to the starting point of [1], and give more importance to the bonds between men and women. I thought that I should give the most importance to the player being able to dedicate all his/her attention and efforts to the Heroine with who he/she sympathized the best. I didn't make any elaborate and weird gimmicks in this game, I simply decided to present the [bonds between the Heroines and protagonist] in a purer way than in the previous entries. Also, the topic of the bonds between men and women also allowed me to give life to many couples beyond the protagonist. This was something that we didn't properly depict in [1] and [2].

＿＿：確に、周囲であんなにカップルが成立し たことってなかったでしょね.

__: Certainly, but are you sure that there weren't any other couples in previous entries?

土屋：『2』では瞬とフレリアみたいな関係はあり ましたが、関係が進展するようなカップルはなかっ たんですよ.

Tsuchiya: In [2], Shun and Frelia apparently had such a relationship, but given the state to which their relationship has developed currently, we wouldn't really call them a couple.

河内：はっきりラブラブ、という状況まで行くキャ ラがいなかったからね.

Kawachi: By that, you mean to the point in which both characters are completely in love with each other, right?

土屋：ゲームの最初の頃はまったく何もなかった のが、終わった頃にはカップル成立という組み合 わせが、ミュートとカテナ、光五条とリッカで、2 組あるんです. それに、ジャックとクルシェも広 い意味ではそうでしょうか.

Tsuchiya: When we began working on the game, we still hadn't any pairings on mind, but when we were reaching the end, we decided to add the establishment of some couples, and ended adding the couples of Katene and Mute, and Hikari Gojo and Richa. Also, I think we further expanded on the relationship between Jack and Krusche, didn't we?

＿＿：今回とうとう、クルシェのプロフィールに 「好きなもの：ジャック」が入りましたね.

__: This time around, you put in Krusche's profile [Likes: Jack] after all, right?

土屋：あれもそうですね. 『1』から4年経って、 内面的には進展しているんでしょう. それと、今回はパーティ間の絆の表現も、『2』 とはまったく違うものを目指しています. 仲間との 絆そのものは、『2』のほうがよリ過激に描いて たんです. なぜかというと、『2』のパーティって いつ別れてもおかしくない人たちの集まりで、駆 け引きで成り立つパーティだったんですよね. でも 『3』では、みんながお互いを好きだから一緒に いるという、純粋に仲のいいパーティを描きたかっ たんです. 用はないけど心配だからついていくと か、そういう関係ですね. というのも、今回はあ らゆる部分で、「あったかいもの」を作りたかっ たんです. そのあったかい絆が、最終的には惑 星と人の絆というところまでつながってきて、エ ンディングを迎える……というイメージです.

Tsuchiya: Yes, that's correct. This was something of a feeling that she developed during the four years that passed since the events of [1]. Also, the way in which we presented the bonds among the party members is completely different from the one we used in [2]. The bonds among companions back then were depicted in an extremely radical manner, this being due to the fact that the party-building strategy we used was gathering a group of people that didn't have much impact whenever they left the party for some reason. But in [3]'s case, all of the party members are united because they have some common tastes or personality aspects, showcasing the pure and close relationship we wanted to depict. Needless to say, these relationships were an aspect that really worried me. I simply wanted to create a [warmth] inside the rooms of every player. Finally, these warm bonds culminate in the connection that unite the Planet and the humans, which can be seen during the ending... that's the image I wanted to present.

サブタイトルの本来 =The True Meaning of the Subtitle=

＿＿：今回のサブトタイトルが決まった経緯を教えて ください.

__: Please, tell us about the way in which you decided the subtitle for this game.

河内：サブタイトルはいつも悩むんですよ. 『1』 のときは何の決まりもないので、わりとすんなり できたんですけど……. 『2』のときに、「世界」 と「少女」というキーワードを残しつつサブタイ トルを入れようと思いついたんですが、これが大 変で. でも苦労の甲斐あって、「世界に響く少女 達の創造詩」と綺麗にまとまったんですが、その せいでハードルが上がってしまって（笑）. キーワー ドを全部入れようとすると、すごく長くなるんで すよね. でも今回は、さらに「終焉」と「引鉄」 も入れたかったんですよ.

Kawachi: The subtitle was other worrying subject for us. At [1]'s time, no one actually had any decision for how we should subtitle it, and it ended getting a pass without objections... but when the time came for [2], we thought that we should put at least the keywords [girl] and [world] as a reminder of the subtitle for the first game, which caused a lot of problems. However, as a consequence of that, we finally settled on the beautiful subtitle [The Metafalica of the Girls that Resounds Throughout the World]. Unfortunately, that also raised the bar for the next game's subtitle (*laughs*). Due to all the keywords we used, it also had to be extremely long. But this time around, we wanted to add a couple more of keywords: [demise] and [trigger].

＿＿：「引鉄」をどうしても組み込みたかったの は、どんな理由からですか？

__: There was any particular reason for which you wanted to include the word [trigger] in the subtitle?

土屋：今回は、最後に世界を俯瞰で見ると、引 鉄の上での物語だったという仕掛けがあるんで す. それと、星を再生するための最後の引鉄を 引く、という意味をかけています. また、「終焉」 というキーワードにも、いろいろな想いを込めて います. ある種、3つめのお話の終わりも表して いれば、設定的な終末感もありますし、今回は バッドエンドが本当にバッドな終わり方をしますか らね. こんなふうに、なんとか感じてもらえたら いいと思う想いがいっぱいあるので、あとはそれ を綺麗に組み合わせるのにすごく悩みました.

Tsuchiya: Since this game served as the last time for us to watch the events of this world, I decided that the story should be decided by the pulling of a trigger. That is, the subtitle means that they are pulling the final trigger for the Planet's regeneration. And although it also contains the keyword [demise], it actually has several kinds of feelings contained in it. These feelings are referring to the finale of the story we presented in these three games, a feeling of conclusion for the setting, and of course, it refers to the existence of a bad way of finishing the game, which leads to the Bad Ending. Due to all of these, I had to think up of a good way to convey these feelings, and combining it with other words to form the subtitle was something that greatly worried me.

＿＿：塔が銃であるというはどなたの発案なんで すか？

__: Who initially suggested that the Tower should look like a rifle?

土屋：私です. 銃って立てると塔みたいだよね、っ ていうところから思いつきまして. 『1』はそのま ま塔の形で、『2』ではサプライズとして、塔と いいつつも先端部分だけで浮いている形でした. 第三塔では、惑星再生計画のために作られた塔 なので、それに特化した形状はどういうのだろう と考えまして. 星に対して「何かを渡す」という イメージでもいいんですけど、星の中心に向かっ て何かをするとしたら、何かを打ち込むのが一番 分かりやすいかなと. ですので、銃のイメージは 以前からあったんです.

Tsuchiya: That was me. I was the one who initially came up with the idea of the Tower looking like a rifle standing on its muzzle. For [1], I decided the Tower's shape on this same way, but for [2], in order to surprise everyone, I made it so the players could only see its topmost part, floating above the clouds. For the Third Tower, since it was expressly made for the Planet Regeneration Project, I thought that it should have an specialized shape to accomplish said purpose. We only had the idea of [something to go inside] the Planet, and from that, we decided that the easiest way to go to the Planetary Core would be shooting that something into it. That was how we came up with the rifle shape for the Tower.

世界観構築の功労者 =The Heroes of the World Setting Creation=

＿＿：『アルトネリコ』シリーズは、独特の世界観 を多くのファンが支持しています. この世界観は、 土屋さんがお一人で作られるんですか？

__: The [Ar tonelico] series has quite an unique setting, which has won the heart of many fans. Tsuchiya-san, did you create everything about this world setting yourself?

土屋：『1』はもともと、私が長年やりたいと思っ ていた世界ですから、『1』の世界観は全部私が 作っていました. 塔の絵から背景の絵のようなも のまで、設定画的なものは全部私です. ほたる 横丁のイメージ図とか飛空艇とか、ああいうあき らかにタッチが違うものは依頼したものですけど、 プラティナの町の外観とか、そういうのも私が線 画を描いています. これで世界観の資料にして、 着彩をスタッフに依頼する形ですね. なので、実 は『1』の設定資料集に載っている世界の絵は、 8割くらい私の絵なんですよ. ただ、そのうちの 半分以上は2000年頃から描きためたものです から、続編が作れることになっても、さすがに自 分でやるのは無理だなあと. それに『1』の自画 デザインって、すごくダサいんですよね（笑）. もう自分でもそれがイヤで、やはり絵はちゃんと 専門の人に描いてもらわなきゃダメだと. それで、 世界観とデザインを一緒に考えてもらえる人を探 して、松本さん（※2）に出会いました.

Tsuchiya: In [1]'s case, it was a world I've wanting to create during many years. In other wordsl everything you can see in the world setting of [1] is my creation. From sketches of the Tower to pictures of the scenery, all of the setting drafts were made by me. Things like the Firefly Alley diagrams or the airships have somewhat of a different touch because I commissioned them to other people, but others like the exterior of Platina were initially drafts whose lines I drew myself. Of course, all of the world setting materials were then commissioned by me to the colorists in order to make them come alive. Actually, around an 80% of the world pictures that were recorded in the Settei Book for [1] were drawn by me. However, most of them were pictures I drew around the 2000, so when it came time for us to make the sequel, I already knew it'd be impossible for me to everything. And furthermore, since the images in [1] were all drawn by me, I guess that they would rather lackluster in comparison to the ones in the sequels (*laughs*). Well then, at that moment I knew that it'd be impossible for me to do everything, and I still hadn't found a dedicated artist for that purpose, so while I was searching for someone who could help me with the world setting and their designs, I met Matsumoto-san (*2).

＿＿：松本さんにお願いしようと思ったきっかけは どんな部分ですか？

__: In which way did you meet Matsumoto-san, and how did you ask him to help?

土屋：凪良さんのご紹介なんですよ. 凪良さんか ら、この人は良い絵を描きますよって教わりまし て. ホームページを見てみたら、すごく趣味が合 いそうだったのでお願いしました.

Tsuchiya: Nagi-san introduced him to me. He told me that he knew a person that drew incredibly great pictures, and once I saw Matsumoto-san's website, I became greatly interested in meeting him, and requesting his help.

＿＿：そうやって『2』のデザインが生まれたん ですね.

__: And thus, the designs for [2] were born, correct?

土屋：『2』のときは、私がごく簡単なイメージラ フを描いて、松本さんに「こういう感じの世界観 です」と伝えて、それを松本さんが自由に解釈し てリファインする、という感じで進めました. そ のおかげで、『3』のときは松本さんが世界のイ メージを完全につかんでくれていたので、非常に 助かっています. 「今回はこういう社会でこういう 感じで」というイメージを渡して、あとはお任せ でしたね. 『3』で一番最初に入ってもらったスタッ フが松本さんなんですよ. まだ細部が決まってい ないのに、この絵（※3）が生まれているんです. この絵の段階って、まだ塔の形すら決まってない んですよ. だからこれ、下がどうなっているかも わからない絵なんです. でも、すごくいいイメー ジを仕上げてくれました. それ以降、ずっと設定 に関係するデザインの大半をお任せしています.

Tsuchiya: From [2] onwards, I drew some simple image drafts, told him [I want this world setting to feel like this, that and such], and then, I freely allowed him to interpret and refine said feelings and pictures in the way he wanted. That's how we proceeded in the creation of the other settings. Thanks to that, when we began working in [3]. Matsumoto-san immediately grasped the image for the world we wanted to created, which greatly helped us. I simply told him things like [I want that town and its society to feel like such and such], and allowed him to do whatever he wanted. If I had to say anything, he was the very first member of the staff that began the work on [3]. When we still hadn't decided the details for its setting, he created this picture (*3). It merely served as a traversal cut of the Tower and all its levels, where you couldn't really distinguish what was located where, since we still hadn't decided what shape we would give to the Tower's exterior. But still, the image was so great that it allowed us to create the rest of the setting. It's because of this that I entrusted a great part of the stuff related to the setting to him.

＿＿：松本さんとのやりとりは、ヒュムノスの詩作 り（※4）に通じるものがありますね.

__: Said way of working with Matsumoto-san sound very similar to the process you use for the creation of the Hymmnos songs, doesn't it?

土屋：そうですね. 自分の中の想定イメージとブ レがないので、それがすごいなと思ってます.

Tsuchiya: That's right. I think that it's incredible how he doesn't blurry or change much these ideas in his imagination.

河内：こちらからリテイクをお願いしたのは、塔 に銃床を付けてもらったのと、あまりに鉄砲の形 だとすぐにわかっちゃうので、すぐにはバレない ようお願いしたくらいでしたね.

Kawachi: When I asked him to remake that image, while adding a gunstock to the Tower, he immediately understood that I meant a rifle with that. It was as if he had read my mind when I asked him that.

お色気要素がより過激に！？ =The Fanservice Elements Went to the Extremes Now!?=

＿＿：毎回強烈なインパクトと、絶妙なお色気シー ンがお約束ですが、今回はやりはりパージが一番 の話題でしょうか.

__: Seems like it's a convention to add exquisite and strongly impacting scenes to all the games on the series, but looks like the Purge mechanic was the major problem this time around, right?

河内：そこは外せませんよね（笑）. 世間的には 規制が厳しくなっていますが、CERO（次ページ ※5）を一段階だけ上げるのは早いうちから決め ていました. その範囲内でおさめてくださいね、 とお願いしています(笑).

Kawachi: That was to be expected (*laughs*). Given how stricter the laws have recently become, we quickly decided to ask the CERO (*5, next page) to raise it only one tier. We asked them to do everything that was in their hands to not raise the ratings any further (*laughs*).

＿＿：BからCになると、どれくらい違いますか.

__: So, how different it was the game for it to go from a B-Rating to a C one?

河内:基本的に裸はダメなんですけど、「とらえ 方によってはそうも考えられるな」っていうシチ エーションが増やせる・・・…という感じでしょうか. バンダイナムコゲームスでは、レーティングがB のタイトルがほとんどなんですよ. 『アルトネリコ』 シリーズはこれまでBでしたが、Bでも少数派な んです. 表現的には過激にせず、イメージをふ くらませて楽しめるようにしよう、とやってきまし た. 今回Cに上げたのは、『1』や『2』から年 数も経って、リァルタイムで遊んでくれたユーザー さんの年齢も上がってきますよね. そういう意味 では、もう少し大人向けでもいいだろうと. それ に新ハードになって表現の幅も広がりましたから、 少しタガを外したほうが面白いかなと考えました. なので今回は、Cの範囲での表現を追求してい ます. ただ、間違ってほしくないのが、『アルトネ リコ』はアダルトゲームじゃありませんから、単に エッチな表現をしたいわけじゃないんです（笑）. 妄想でぎる余地を残す面白さというか、「クスリ」 とできるような部分を大事にしたいんですね.

Kawachi: We decided from the start that we wouldn't depict any of the characters naked, but as we continued with the development, we had some situations in which "it wasn't possible to think that of the Reyvateils once they Purged", and said situations only increased in frequency as we went on and on... more or less that's what happened. Most of the games that Bandai-Namco Games has either developed or published had a B-Rating. The same goes for the [Ar tonelico] series, which was only composed of B-Rating games until this entry, but leaving this game as a B would have reduced the number of potential consumers. While we intended to present the concepts of the game in a non-extreme way, as we continued the development, we decided it was better to display them in a way that was enjoyable for the gamers. Also, other reason for which we raised the rating to C was because similarly to how some years have passed since the events of both [1] and [2], the players that have gone through them have grown and matured as well. That meant that we also needed to market it as an slightly more mature title. Since the new hardware allowed us to increase the level of the game's presentation, this allowed us to break free from some of the restrictions we were imposed previously, and to think up more interesting elements. However, don't misunderstand my words, please. [Ar tonelico] isn't and has never been intended to be an adult game, and the events displayed in the game weren't never intended to be us wanting to depict perverted scenes. (*laughs*). We have always wanted to make things as interesting as we could imagine them, and have always placed great importance in deviating as less as we can from our original ideas.

新システムの狙い =Aiming for New Systems=

＿＿：今回も魅力的なシステムを盛り込んでいま すが、特に戦闘が大きく変化しましたね.

__: This entry also had the incorporation of several fascinating systems, but the battle system was the one that saw especially large changes, correct?

土屋：戦闘に関しては、シリースを通じて「ヒロ インを守る」プロセスを楽しんでもらうのが一貫 したコンセプトです. これを2Dで表現しようとし たのが『1』や『2』でしたが、本当は今回みた いに、自分で動かして護りたかったんですよ.

Tsuchiya: About the battle system, we have always tried to keep its concepts faithful to the process of [protecting an Heroine] while allowing the players to have fun, which has been present all along in the series. While this was present too in [1] and [2], this entry is the closest to the original ideas I had about having to move to protect the Heroines.

＿＿：元から可能であれば3Dでやりたかったと.

__: So you mean that the series would have been in 3D from the start if you could have done so.

屋：そうですね. 一番最初に『1』の企画を頭 の中で考えていたとき、映画やアニメみたいに、 こういう感じの世界観で戦闘はこんな感じで、っ ていうのを想い描くわけですよ. そのときイメー ジしていたのが、「ヒロインが気弾みたいなのを 溜めていて、その周りに敵が押し寄せ、剣でな ぎ払う」というものだったんです. 3Dでのリア ルタイムァクションが初ということもあって、反省 点もあるんですけど、まずはその一歩が踏み出せ たかなっていうところですね.

Tsuchiya: That's correct. When I first came up with the initial project for [1], I wanted to make it look like an anime or movie, and similarly, I wanted the battle system to have that same feel to complement the rest of the world setting. At that time, the idea I had was "to advance towards the enemy while wielding a sword, and sweep them away from the Heroine they want to eliminate". While I indeed had considered at first to make a 3D real-time action battle system, I wasn't completely sure if that was a step I should have taken for my first project.

＿＿：移動中のジャンプも復活しましたね.

__: And you also restored the jumping feature for exploring, right?

土屋：『2』ではフィールドでジャンプする必要が なかったので、組み込まなかったんですが、ウチ の社員が一番ブーブー言ってたんですよ（笑）. 「ジャンプをムダにできないと面白くない」って 言われちゃって.

Tsuchiya: Well, during [2] we noticed that jumping around in the fields wasn't necessary anymore, and decided to cut it out. However, we were booed by both the players and the staff for having done that (*laughs*). They told us that "the game wasn't as interesting because we couldn't jump around".

河内：移動のリズムを作れるのが大事なんですか ね. ユーザーさんからも、かなり不満の声が挙がっ ていまして. ジャンプについては、『2』の反省 点のひとつだったということです（笑）.

Kawachi: We also were giving priority to making the appropriate rhythm for exploring, because the players also brought a lot of complaints in relation to that. Maybe this means that we have thought twice about the removal of the jumps in [2] (*laughs*).

土屋：高さを表現するときに、ぴょんぴょん飛べ るほうが、上っていく感じが出せるんですよね.

Tsuchiya: And the fact that the character looks like he flew everytime he jumped is due to our way to depict the altitude. It actually feels as if he was ascending.

河内：ボツ仕様で、初期の案では、アオトは壁に 張りついて登れたんですよ.

Kawachi: By the way, this is a discarded idea, but initially, we were going to make Aoto climb walls.

土屋：結局削除になりましたが、壁歩きの仕様も ありましたね. 調合アイテムで、ジャンプの高さ がアップするものもありました. それを使ったダン ジョンの仕掛けもあったんですが.

Tsuchiya: This ended being eventually discarded too, but we were also going to let him walk above them. We were also going to add some synthesized items that allowed to increase the height of the jumps. It was supposed to be a device that would see its main usage during the dungeons.

河内：一種の名残が、フィンネルの初登場シーン ですね. アオトが助けに行く場面、崖をものすご くショートカットしてるでしょ（笑）.

Kawachi: However, there's a remnant of that in the scene in which Finnel first appears. The cliff to which Aoto goes to save her was actually going to be used as a great shortcut (*laughs*).

ヒュムノス音楽について =About the Hymmnos Music=

＿＿：今回の大きな魅力のひとつが、R.A.H.シ ステム（※6）による音楽表現だったと思います. このあたりについてお聞かせてください.

__: We think that one of the most fascinating parts of this entry was the presentation of the music through the RAH System (*6). Please, tell us how you got to this point.

河内：R.A.H.を表現していくことで、 PS3という ハードに踏み込んだ手応えがありましたね. これが やりたかった理由のひとつが、『アルトネリコ』シリー スって、「戦闘中に謳っている」という前提がある わけです. でも実際には、システム面の都合で、 本当に謳わせることができなかったんですね. そ れがPS3になってR.A.H.を導入したことで、土 屋さんの構想がようやく具現化したと思います.

Kawauchi: The presentation of the RAH System came as a response of moving the series to the PS3 platform. The main reason for us to have done this was because we previously established that the Reyvateils [sing during the battles] in the [Ar tonelico] series. However, due to system limitations we were unable to actually depict that in the games. Because of that, when we began programming for the PS3, we decided to introduce the RAH System, which finally allowed Tsuchiya-san to make his ideas a reality.

土屋：R.A.H.も初の試みだったので、反省点だ らけなんですけど、やっと「ヒュムノスってこうい うことなんだ」というのをお披露目できたと思い ます. 「EXEC」で始まるヒュムノス・エクストラ クトは全曲、作中でも謳っていますが、戦闘中に 謳っているヒュムノス・ワードは、こういうことだっ たんです. 詩魔法には定型がありませんから、そ のときの想いによって詩がどんどん変わっていく わけですね. コンディションやシチュエーションに よっても変化するし、気分が高揚してくれば、詩 魔法自体もだんだん豪華になっていきます. あ れって、実際どういうことかというと、紡いでい る詩が変わっているんですよ. でも、今まではそ れが表現できなくて、すごく悔しかったんです. それがようやく表現できました.

Tsuchiya: While I had to think a lot before even trying to realize the RAH System, I'm glad to announce that this is how I think that [Hymmnos should always have been]. Of course, all the Reyvateils sung previously Hymmnos Extract songs that began with the [EXEC] prefix during important plot scenes, but the Hymmnos Words used in battle are as we showed in the RAH System. Song Magics don't actually have a fixed form, so the song the Reyvateils sing gradually changes depending on their emotional state. This is also affected by their condition and situation, so if they receive an stimulus, the song itself will also become gradually grander. That is how the Songs they have crafted actually work in the setting of the game, but this was something we were unable to properly depict until now, which is something that I greatly regretted. I'm glad that we could finally show you all how Song Magic actually works.

河内：『2』ではレプレキァが比較的イメージに 近いヒュムノスでしたね.

Kawachi: Although Replekia from [2] has a comparatively similar image to this, no?

土屋：あれが限界でしたね、容量もギリギリでし たし、システム的にも難しかった.

Tsuchiya: That was a much more limited form of the RAH System. The hardware barely allowed us to do it, and was extremely hard for us to program.

＿＿：今回、同じヒュムノスでもヒューマによって かなり印象が違いますね.

__: However, although this entry uses the same kinds of Hymmnos, it gives a very different impression from its predecessors due to the Hymmas, doesn't it?

土屋：R.A.H.によって、完全に楽曲とコーラスを セパレートして、そのキャラクターの特性に合った 曲が流れるようにしています. サキは電波な音が 多めで、フィンネルはかっこよさげ、ティリアはビー トが効いた感じとか、そういうイメージですね. その中でさらに人格によって、ワールド系だった りロック系だったり、楽器を替えたりっていう違い を出しています. ただ、ちょっと困ったのが、最 初の戦闘曲ですね. やっぱり最初は、かっこいい のを聴かせたいじゃないですか. でもサキなので 序盤の戦闘曲が電波系というのが、実は自分でも 「アチャー」と思ってました（笑）.

Tsuchiya: Due to the structure of the RAH System, the music and choruses are kept separated, and then a melody will be created and played by combining both parts according to the special traits of each character. Saki's traits are filling the music with electric sounds, Finnel's are adding Japanese drums, and Tyria's adding beats. That is the image for each of them. There are also the personae, which also have other kinds such as worldly music, rock music; and changing the instruments used, which gives a different feeling to each of them. However, a point that particularly worried me was the music used in the very first battle. Of course, it's the very first the players hear, but I wondered if it wasn't possible to make it more cool-sounding. However, since Saki's initial battle music includes electronic sounds, even I actually thought that it'd be rather outrageous.

河内：それを言ったら、イベントで最初に聴ける のがキューティパンプじゃない（笑）.

Kawachi: But isn't the song played during the first event battle Cutypump, anyway? (*laughs*)

土屋：あれは想定の内です（笑）. 最初にインパ クトがほしいですからね.

Tsuchiya: I'm just supposing that wasn't the case (*laughs*). That song plays there because I wanted to cause a large impact at the very beginning.

河内：『2』のオープニングは、子守唄からしっと りと入ったのに、今回はいきなりあれ（笑）.

Kawachi: Well, since the opening song for [2] was a lullaby, this seemed rather abrupt to everyone (*laughs*).

土屋：サキのR.A.H.素材は、マスターアップの 直前ぐらいに、電波な索材からかっこいい素材に 差し替えようかとも思ったんですよね. でもやは りそれで世界観を壊してもなぁと.

Tsuchiya: By the way, right before the development deadline for Saki's RAH components arrived, I had the idea of substituting the electronic sounds for others that had a much cooler atmosphere. However, I instantly recalled that doing that would have shattered the world setting.

＿＿：キュティパンプやノヴァのような新しい方 向性のヒュムノスへの反響はいかがでしたか？

__: And speaking of which, how were the reactions to the Hymmnos with new tendencies, such as Cutypump and Nova?

土屋：『1』から『2』の時って、ごく正統な進化 だったわけですよ. ただ、反省点として、多重コー ラスばかりてんこ盛りにしたら、疲れてきちゃうっ て声もあるんです. それと、似た傾向の曲を入 れると、みんな同じような感じだっていう意見も いただきまして. それもあってバリエーションを広 げてあります. ただ、一番大きな理由は、今回 は登場するレーヴァテイルがすごく多いじゃない ですか. ヒュムノスは、レーヴァテイルによってまっ たく違う詩を紡ぐわけですから、曲は全然違うべ きなんです. まして、今回はレーヴァテイルが増 えたぶん、歌い手さんの人数も増えていますから. 皆さんに、それぞれ個性を十分に発揮していただ けて、非常にいいものができたと思っています.

Tsuchiya: The step from [1] to [2] was an orthodox evolution. However, when I began reflecting back on this, I thought that people would get bored if we continued taking the multi-choral approach for the songs. And besides, there was a great part of the fandom that expected us to continue with the same musical trends we had already established in the previous games, while others wanted us to further expand our styles. However, the largest reason for the new styles comes from the fact that there were several Reyvateils appearing in the game, and as we previously established, each of the Hymmnos songs they craft should be completely different from each other. So if we had to increase the number of Reyvateils, we also had to increase the number of singers. Each one of them demonstrated enough individuality and taste for their songs, so I think that this allowed us to make something great.

＿＿：新しい歌い手さんの評判はいかがでした？

__: How it was dealing with the new singers?

土屋：嬉しいことに、ものすごくいいんです. 世 界観を伝えるのは毎回大変なんですけど、それを 共有する相手が増えたので、それを説明する回 数がたいへん増えたのが難点でしょうか（笑）.

Tsuchiya: Fortunately, it was pretty good. While there were some problems whenever I had to tell them about the world setting and how it worked, that allowed us to work more closely together, although that could also mean that I'm pretty bad at explaining things due to how much I had to repeat the explanations. (*laughs*).

シリーズをまたぐキャクター =The Characters Straddling on the Series=

＿＿：アルトネリコシリーズは、前の作品の サブキャラが顔を出すのも楽しみのひとつでし た. 今回はジャック、クルシェ、さーしゃが登場 しましたが、あの3人になった理由は？

__: One of the most fun things of the Ar tonelico series was looking forward to seeing characters from the previous games coming back. Was there any particular reason for having chosen Jack, Krusche and Sasha for this entry?

土屋：実は、最初はさ一しゃとシンシァの予定で した. 2人で調合の担当にしようかと思っていた んです. パーティでやる調合とは別に、何か量販 店的なものをやってみたいなと. この案は不採用 となったので、シンシァの出番はなくなりました.

Tsuchiya: Actually, we had planned for both Sasha and Cynthia to appear, because both were in charge of performing synthesis in their respective stores. They seemed the type to try becoming major sellers aside from performing synthesis with the party. However, this idea ended getting rejected, which was why Cynthia didn't show up.

河内：ジャックとクルシェは、『2』で出る予定だっ たんですよね. でも、あの段階でそこまでの技 術があったら変だよね、となって、今回が出番に なりました. ようやくルークの話ができましたね.

Kawachi: As for Jack and Krusche, we hand planned for them to appear in [2]. However, if we had allowed their technologies and techniques appear back then, it would have ended being very odd, so that's why they ended appearing in this game. At least this allowed us to finally tie up Luke's story.

＿＿：このあたりは、当初から予定されたクロス オーバーの仕掛けだったんですか？

__: Although from that viewpoint, it seems that you intended to make them as a crossover mechanism from the start, right?

土屋：そうですね. もし続きものの話を作るなら、 どこかでリンクしていくような形が楽しいと思うの で. 構想のなかでは、ルカやクローシェがちよっ とだけ顔を出すのも考えたんですけど、さまざま な事情で断念しました. 無理やり出しても、今度 は『1』のキャラももっと出したくなりますし、キ リがないですからね.

Tsuchiya: That's correct. If we ever manage to make a continuation, I think it'd be fun to make something that finally links up every game in the series. Among the plans I had, I had one in which both Luca and Cloche would make an small appearance, but due to several circumstances, I had to give up on it. I didn't have much choice in the matter back then, but next time I'd like to include characters from [1] too, which seems like it'd end becoming quite an endless project, no?

ゲームの表現と世界設定 =The World Setting and Its Presentation in the Game=

＿＿：レーヴァテイルは死ぬと水になる、という 設定がありますが、ゲーム中ではどうしてこの表 現をしなかったんでしょうか.

__: The setting establishes that Reyvateils turn into water upon dying, but why this wasn't depicted in the game?

河内：これは実は、僕のほうからお願いしました. レーヴァテイルが死ぬと水になる、という設定自 体は問題ないんです. この作品世界は、すごく 細かいところまで作り込まれて構築されています から、設定はすべて「事実」なんです. ただ、 僕たちが懸念していたのは、これから初めてこの 世界に触れるユーザーさんのことなんですよ. こ の作り込まれた世界というのは、プレイしていくう ちにわかってくる部分だと思うんです. でも、ま だ世界観が伝わっていない人にとっては、「愛情 を注いできた人が水になって消えます」というの は、悲しみのレベルとしても高すぎるんじゃない かと. 露出の表現と同じように、「そう感じさせる」 ような表現でとどめてほしいとお願いしました.

Kawachi: Actually, that was because I requested them to not depict it. I don't have problems with the idea itself of the Reyvteils becoming water upon dying. Since the world of this series it's so incredible detailed, and has been integrated so well with the rest of the elements in the games, everything the setting establishes is the [truth] in it. However, what really worried me were the users that were coming in contact for the first time with this world. Of course, I thought that anyone who had played the previous games would be already aware of this. However, I also considered that it would cause an unbearable sadness to the players that hadn't been properly introduced to the world upon seeing how [the person on which they poured their love became water and disappeared forever]. So I asked them to remove the presentation of this, while replacing it with something that [gave off a similar feeling].

＿＿：設定に忠実に作ると直接的すぎたので、あ えて表現を避けたということですね.

__: So while you have been working extremely hard in the creation of the setting and its intricacies, there are some things you would prefer to avoid depicting, right?

河内：そうですね. 『3』のストーリーは重い部分 も多いので、悲しい描写はほかにもありますが、 水になることで死を表現すると、「悲しみに満ち た世界なんだ」というイメージばかりが強調され るように感じたんです. ただ、ゲームの演出と世 界設定が異なってしまったのは確かなので、この 本のように設定を解説できる場で明言できてほっ としています.

Kawachi: Yes, that's it. [3]'s story has many heavy parts, and while it also portrays many others kinds of sadness, the point of depicting people turning into water upon dying was to emphasize the feelings of a [world filled with sadness]. However, whenever there is a discrepancy between the world setting and its presentation in the games, we will state it in materials that explain the setting in detail, like this book itself.

ユーザーの皆様へ =To All the Users=

＿＿：それでは、最後に、ユーザーの皆さんに一言 お願いします.

__: Finally, please say some words to all your users.

河内：おかげざまで多くの皆さんに遊んでいただ きまして、本当にありがとうございます. この設 定資料集は、毎回ひとつの区切りだと思っていま す. ゲーム内で語れなかったいろいろな秘密や裏 話がお届けできますので、ぜひ楽しんでくだざい. 今後、僕たちがどういう形で『アルトネリコ』の 世界を語れるのかはわかりませんが、この本やア ルポータルのように、皆さんに楽しんでいただけ る場を提供していけるようがんばります.

Kawachi: I want to express my most sincere gratitude to everyone who played through these games. You might want to think of this setting materials collection as a brief stop between the games. Please, enjoy it the most you can, as this was the medium we could use to allow some secrets and hidden stories that weren't told in the games to reach you all. We still don't know how or what which will be the medium we will use to tell stories about the world of [Ar tonelico] next time, but we will do our best to continue offering a place in which you all can have fun, such as this book or the Ar Portal.

土屋：『アルトネリコ』三部作、自分が出したい 世界というのを出し切って終えることができまし た. 期間をはじめ、いろいろな制約はありました が、常に全力疾走でここまでやってくることがで きました. この作品を通じて、一番艮かったと思っ ているのが、ユーザーさんと対話しながらの作品 作りができたことです. ゲーム以外のところでも、 いっぱい遊べました. またぜひ、いろんなご意見 をお寄せください. この先、「アルトネリコ」かも しれないし、そうでないところかもしれませんが、 必ず反映していきます. 皆さんと対話しながらの 作品作りを進めていくのか目標ですので、今後も ぜひよろしくお願いします.

Tsuchiya: With the [Ar tonelico] trilogy, I was finally able to make a reality the world I wanted to create, and it has finally reached an end. Beginning with the deadlines, I had to work under several restrictions, but I still dedicated all my energy and efforts to these projects, and they have finally reached this point. What gives me the greatest happiness was the fact that I could converse with our users as I was developing each part of the project, and every single one of its related works. We managed to play together a lot beyond the games. Thank you to everyone for having sent us your opinions. The next time we work on something, it might or might not be [Ar tonelico], but I guarantee that you all will surely see the opinions you sent us reflected on it. My goal was always creating something while keeping constantly in contact with our users, and I hope we can continue working together in this same way in the future.

（取材：2010年3月）

(Interview Date: March, 2010)

はみだしトーク =Out of Bounds Conversation=

物語の結末

Conclusion of the Story
＿＿：本作のトゥルーエンドをもって、この 惑星の物語は決着となるのでしょうか？

__: The True End of the game does mean that the story of this Planet has reached its conclusion?

河内：この世界は、最初から「塔は3本あ ります」と宣言していました. これで、念 頭においていた物語は一応語れたかなと 思っています.

Kawachi: This world was announced from the start as [only having three Towers]. Keeping that in mind, you could think that all of the story has been told now. ＿＿：この後ファンの声援によっては何かが、 みたいなものは期待していいんでしょうか？

__: And what future expectations could you give to the fans that supported this series so much? 河内：完全に終わりと断言するつもりはない んですが、最初に考えていたものは全部吐 き出したと思っています. この世界がどうい うふうになっていくのか、いつか語れるとい いですね.

Kawachi: I don't really intend to affirm that the series is completely done for now, but we have already shown everything we had initially thought for the games. We don't really know at the moment what else could happen in this world, but someday I'd like to revisit it and tell more stories about it.

＿＿：それでは、ダウンロードコンテンツ （※7）のご予定を教えてください.

__: Finally, could you please tell us about some of the Downloadable Contents (*7) you have planned?

河内：出番の少なかったアルルを中心に、新 ピューマも手に入るバイナリ野の追加エビソー ドを予定しています. 今春のリリースを目指し ていますが、まだ準備中です. この本が発売 される頃にはアナウンスできるといいですね.

Kawachi: We have planned some additional episodes for the Binary Field which will star Arru, who didn't have too much of an appearance on the main game. This will also allow the players to receive new Hymmas. While we had planned to release it this Spring, it's still under development. However, I think that its release will be formally released around the date in which this book is published.