The Making of "Can This"

http://weekly.ascii.jp/elem/000/000/166/166500/
With 600,000 users, the browser game "KanColle" has seen a sudden rise to popularity.
Just what happened during its development that led it here? And also, what does the future have in store?
We went to Kadokawa Games headquarters to hear the answers from Tanaka Kensuke.

[Growing KanColle with the Admirals]

---What went on during the earliest planning stages of KanColle?

Tanaka: Well, I love the military. I go with my friends who are also fans to see the Maritime Self Defense Forces do their naval reviews.I get this heartrending feeling as I wonder, "What did this ship accomplish in the end?", and think about how much effort people put into it, and never want to forget how it was lost. I wanted to approach those feelings with a game, a sort of "light simulation" based on historical facts so that military fans would appreciate it... When the Admiral (a respectful designation for all the players) puts his heart and soul into raising a girl, he gets curious as to her background. We wanted the game to create situations like "I see, this character says this line because of this!", in which the Admiral naturally investigates and thinks about the history of the ship. And when I told that to DMM, they said "We'd love to make that happen!" (laughs)

---What kind of game was KanColle before you were sponsored?

Tanaka: Originally, it was going to be a standalone title for PC and tablets. But following DMM's needs, it was released as a browser game in the state you now see.

---You're slowly improving the game, huh.

Tanaka: Ahh, I apologize for all the cat troubles everyone's having! Along with you Admirals, we're building this system and world. Since this wasn't a very large project originally, in a lot of unexpected ways it feels like all the Admirals have helped to grow KanColle with us.

Tanaka: We're communicating with the players and doing everything we can to help.For example, we've improved the sort function in the interface, something people have wanted for a long time. We're taking into account the impressions of both new Admirals and those who have been with us from the beginning as we move forward.

---Has the userbase changed at all?

Tanaka: At the start, we aimed for a relatively old target audience with an interest in military history, but over the summer people really began to take a strong interest in the ship girls. Month after month since we launched, we've done our best to provide support transitioning the user cluster into larger servers and received support and feedback from everyone. We've learned lots of things from all of you.


[KanColle as a combination of Character and Logistics]

---Are there any details of the game you paid special attention to?

Tanaka: There's a few, one was retaining the feel of a simulation game even though it really isn't one.

Tanaka: In the past there have been simulation games that were very faithful to history, but with KanColle we wanted to make a game that people with no interest in the genre could also enjoy. However, while you might be able to play however you like, understanding the purpose and difference between things like artillery and torpedoes can make the game all the more enjoyable.

Tanaka: If there's something you don't understand, you can look it up in a book, or online, or even ask a friend. That kind of "unofficial" social aspect is important to KanColle. In fact, while many games focus on war and tactics, we wanted to focus on the logistics. KanColle is really a game about combining two aspects: character, and logistics.

Tanaka: We also didn't want to force Admirals to compete against each other. We wanted players to focus on the importance of establishing supply lines, and even wrote lines emphasizing it.

Tanaka: We considered the balance between actively playing and leaving it alone. Of course, some might think it's most fun to just keep playing nonstop, but we struggled to find a decent balance so that players would want to keep coming back.

---I understand. Not just fighting, but docking, construction, repairs, and development are also important factors.

Tanaka: Supply, logistics, and repairs, those are the basics of war! (laughs) That's why, if you keep playing carelessly, you'll run out of fuel. You can't neglect your fleet in favor of only battleships and carriers, you have to plan and combine forces with destroyers and cruisers to get ahead.

---Is there any relation between the formations you can choose and the formations used by ships in real life?

Tanaka: Of course, there's a direct relationship. At the start, we put out a notice explaining the purpose behind "line ahead" and "ring formation", because so long as you understand those two you should be alright. Line ahead is the fundamental formation. All ships line up horizontally, which gives them the optimal situation to fire off guns and torpedoes. As a result, it offers very high firepower. The other formations have their own uses too.

---By the way, in the menu there's a certain "Friendly Fleets" button I'm curious about.

Tanaka: We felt as though cooperation couldn't be implemented in the game's current state, so we plan to strengthen the game and add it with a large update we call the "second phase". Before that comes, we want to add submarines, special expeditions involving submarines, foreign ships, an update to the way you manage your flagship, and a way to surpass the level cap by building a bond with a ship girl.

---You put a lot of effort into KanColle's illustrations, I see.

Tanaka: It's all thanks to our hard working artists collaborating with our writers. For example, while drawing Akagi's damaged sprite, Shibafu took into special consideration the points where she was damaged historically and had the art reflect that. He put in a lot of effort! And also, though it might not always be the case, we try to make sure sister ships have the same tone and manner. (laughs)

Tanaka: Using the technical data, I wrote all the ship's lines and encyclopedia entries, but it's the voice actors who really breathe life into the ship girls. When I first heard them acting, I swear I could feel the spirit of the ships. To tell the truth, I was on the verge of tears in the recording booth. The staff were really surprised. (laughs)

---A while ago, the management wrote a message like "Our dream has come true"?

Tanaka: When we got in touch with Aoshima Bunka Kyozai Co., Ltd, we were so happy! Our collaboration with their "Waterline" series of ship models made me feel like a proud father. I was so moved...　It's all thanks to you Admirals!


---That's the end of my interview with Tanaka-san. What did you think? After hearing his story, I could feel his burning passion. I'm really looking forward to the second phase of Kantai Collection.