Cintiq 21UX: The video game designer's new addiction.

One of the first video game developers to use pen tablets, LEVEL-5 has made Interactive Pen Displays standard on their development environment. The resulting increase in work efficiency is directly tied to the company's high quality software development. "They were utilized throughout the production of our latest game, Rogue Galaxy." --Akihiko Hino, LEVEL-5 President

LEVEL-5 Co., Ltd

http://www.level5.co.jp/

LEVEL-5 is a game software development company located in Fukuoka. Established in October 1998 under the concept, "Five-star level = the upper most quality", they aim to produce five-star quality work. And with representative titles such as Dragon Quest VIII, Rogue Galaxy, etc., they are well-positioned to continue their long streak of winning games. "A good work arises from a good environment" is more than just a motto at this company, it is an actuality. Equipped with the latest development tools, Level 5 gives each of their artists their own space to create. Production efficiency is raised by maximizing the function and performance of tools, and continually improving technique and product quality. And their creativity is both reflected and enhanced by stimulating surroundings including a universe-themed office space that channels cosmic-sized ideas into minds of LEVEL-5’s amazing team. (see photo).

Why did you introduce the Cintiq to LEVEL-5?

What effect did the introduction of the Cintiq bring?

When you first introduced the 21-inch Cintiq, what did you expect its potential would be?

How was the Cintiq used in the production of your highly acclaimed Rogue Galaxy?

What role do you think the Cintiq will have at LEVEL-5 in the future?

I had been using the pen tablet, although not the displays, at home for many years, and I knew that they could dramatically improve your work speed. So when I started my company, I introduced my five to six designers to the pen tablet. At the time, I don’t think many game development companies were using pen tablets. The designers seem to have some hesitation about using it. They thought it would be quite difficult to use since they had become so accustomed to the mouse. However, they gradually learned to work with the pen and now they can’t do without it. You might say they’re addicted to the pen.

When I saw the Cintiq, I thought, ‘Now this is interesting...’. I actually tried it out and it was great. I knew for sure that it had potential especially after I tried a sketching a little on it. Immediately I made Interactive Pen Displays a standard in our studios, and they played a huge role since.

What effect did the introduction of the Cintiq bring?

I had the artist in charge of the original imagery try the Interactive Pen Displays first. His initial reaction was that it had to be drawn on paper before moving to the computer. But in our business, that stage is not shown to the public. However, it eventually becomes the final product shown to clients and end-users, so I feel it is extremely important to increase efficiency at this stage. I persuaded my staff to try it before making any judgments, to see how much it can speed up the creation process, and they started using it.

After a little while, everyone grew accustomed to the pen displays and grew excited about them. They began to see the convenience of drawing directly into the computer. Before long the Interactive Pen Display had become a routine part of the creation process.

Before we had Interactive Pen Displays, images were drawn on paper, then scanned into the computer to be colored by the regular pen tablets. On the Displays, the image itself is constructed directly on the screen allowing us to completely combine the first two steps. What we didn’t expect was how close the analog touch was to a real pen. No one could object to the change since the feeling of drawing on paper was retained as we speed up the process.

Currently, Interactive Pen Displays are being used not only in 2D design but also in 3D CG designs. The mouse is convenient for normal operation in 3D CG tools, but we find the pen to be more useful when creating and modifying textures.

The term "paperless office" has been around for some decades, but few offices have actually achieved this concept. It seems ironic that this futuristic ideal has been realized in the creative industries where the feeling of writing by hand on paper has played such an important role. But the Displays perfectly imitate the physical movement of traditional drawing methods, making them a must-have tool for artists, designers and many others.

When you first introduced the Cintiq 21UX, what did you expect its potential would be?

Moving from regular pen tablets to the Cintiq made work effortless, and the totally flat surface of the Cintiq reduces work stress.

What are the advantages?

Not hitting the bezel (edge between the body and the acrylic surface of the screen) of the Cintiq is great. The subtle movements of your hand are never disturbed. I felt the sensitivity of the pen has improved much too. My staff also say that the Cintiq is very easy to use.

Wacom puts a lot of effort into selling this product, don’t you? If a graphics production company happens to acquire one as a demo, I know they will definitely want to buy it.

Currently all designers of LEVEL-5, and of course Hino himself, use the Cintiq 21UX (21-inch Interactive Pen Display).

How was the Cintiq used in the production of your highly acclaimed video game Rogue Galaxy?

The original character designs were all drawn by Interactive Pen Displays, as were various places such as backgrounds. There were some animation sequences done by outside animation studios in Rogue Galaxy which were painted with traditional methods. However, since the know-how and techniques of drawing can be applied to the work process using the Cintiq, in the near future I intend to digitize the entire process from the original designs to the final artwork seen by end users.

Creators in LEVEL-5 currently enjoy a great work environment. However, you say that you would like to improve it even more. What role do you think the Cintiq will have at LEVEL-5 in the future?

I will have all designers to master the Cintiq. Though we were able to raise efficiency by introducing Interactive Pen Displays into our workflow, I would like to increase the speed of product development even more. As we moved from normal pen tablets to Interactive Pen Displays, and then to the large-screen, flat-panel Cintiq, we’ve been able to enrich our product development and work environment. I am always on the lookout for new things, and I try new products whenever I can. And, if I think they are good, I introduce them as a new standard.