Cave Shooting History Translation - Makoto Asada

[chempop]

(He tells some joke, or anecdote here that makes absolutely no sense to me and isn’t funny. Something in which he contradicts almost everything he said before about being a hardworker and that he in fact spends all of his time at home and only shows up at night or makes surprise phone calls to his staff. Can anyone help with the translation?)

I think we need some clarity on this part. I'd like to think that this is more in line with his reality - dinking around with his hair in front of the mirror until he realizes "shit! I should probably go check on my teams and see how their projects are coming along..."

[brentsg]

Yeah in general Cave likes to have it both ways.

-AK was carefully tuned over a year / AK was programmed in a very short time by Yagawa
-Ports can be knocked out in just a few days / Asada can't go home for 100 days

I like how these things sound like paradoxes but actually aren't.

Cave has given additional detail regarding AK in particular, but I don't have time to dig it up.

They basically said when work was started on AK, and obviously we know when it went to test and release. The BS about it being tested for a year was just that.. BS.

I don't doubt that they knock the ports out quickly, look at the bugs and silly things they overlook. So the question is, what's Asada doing at the office for 100 days straight?

[rancor]

(He tells some joke, or anecdote here that makes absolutely no sense to me and isn’t funny. Something in which he contradicts almost everything he said before about being a hardworker and that he in fact spends all of his time at home and only shows up at night or makes surprise phone calls to his staff. Can anyone help with the translation?)

I think we need some clarity on this part. I'd like to think that this is more in line with his reality - dinking around with his hair in front of the mirror until he realizes "shit! I should probably go check on my teams and see how their projects are coming along..."

Tonight I'll post exactly what was written, and perhaps someone here can make sense of it. I honestly cant make heads or tails of what he was trying to say.

[Aliquantic]

Thank you for your translation I'm a little worried to hear that the high-ups in Cave's arcade department are not playing their own games at all (Ikeda and Yagawa have made such comments in past interviews too, and someone else whose name escapes me now), but I suppose that's not very surprising given their working environment...

[rancor]

Ok, this is verbatim what was written in the part that I said I needed help on. I don't need help with what he said, I need help with what he actually means..

I hardly talk with staff members because I'm not at the company all of the time. When I do get a chance to check in, often times it's at night. Anytime I go for a walk I check in with the people at Cave once in a while because my house is close to the office. For example, if my company is out of stock of something we make, I sometimes make it at home so I'm seldom at my company.

Now that I've had a chance for my brain to clear after yesterdays translation marathon and had a second look, I think what he's trying to say is that these days he works from home and when he goes for his nightly walk (implied) he'll sometimes check in on the Cave staff by visiting in person or with a phone call. However, this pretty much contradicts everything he said before about spending days at a time at the office.. Is the above a joke? And I think what he means by "something we make" is programming/coding and he can now do it from home - but he's not a programmer anymore, is he? Japanese is just too vague at times.

Anyhow, that part should go immediately after the question You seem like a nice, friendly guy. Is this true? Obviously I didn't include it because it makes no sense.

[Aisha]

Going by your translations, Asada says that he spent one-hundred days at the office during the production of Deathsmiles IIX and that this game was one of the things he worked on between September 2009 and May 2010, which he said was the most difficult period of time at CAVE for him. It is possible that all of the hardships he spoke about in the interview actually fall into that period, and that these days, things are easier for him because he has a different working arrangement, but one which prevents him from interacting as much with the other staff members.

[Skykid]

These Cave guys are overworked by Western standards, but not by Chinese factory standards, so it's good to keep it in perspective. %90 of the stuff we use was produced by people working as hard or harder at jobs that they probably find far less rewarding.

That is not putting things in perspective.

No it's not. It's fairly common knowledge that the average Japanese employee swears allegiance to their company and is expected to sacrifice everything to produce the best possible product. Not sure why everyone is so surprised that the same rules of commercial slavery exist in Cave, Japanese employees aren't privy to the luxuries of free holiday time and sick days that we have in the west.

[Shogun]

Not sure why everyone is so surprised that the same rules of commercial slavery exist in Cave, Japanese employees aren't privy to the luxuries of free holiday time and sick days that we have in the west.

The west not including America....

[Skykid]

I do love these charts. Looks wrong btw - not sure of the differentiation between 'vacation' (American word) and 'holiday', but the UK gets both paid holiday time and paid public holidays (such as bank holidays, Easter, xmas etc.)

RE: Japan, I said no 'Free' holiday time, as in, can't take it when they choose. In Japan most companies expect all employees to take holiday at the same time of year (afaik), at which point all the airlines jack their prices up for 2 weeks to compensate.

As for the USA, you're getting buttfucked as it is and you have no paid holiday on top?
Bad times.

[Sumez]

I actually imagined Sweden would be higher. They have like one billion holidays, I'm surprised they aren't paid?

As for the USA, you're getting buttfucked as it is and you have no paid holiday on top?
Bad times.

On the other hand, their income tax is also a lot lower than the ones in the top of the list (where I'm located)

[Shogun]

Looks like according to that graph there is about a 20% difference in income taxes? I think thats a good trade off for the services provided. Paying income tax in the US means supporting the military, and paying for social security and medicare which is floundering and probably won't be around by the time I get old enough to claim it. Meanwhile I haven't had health insurance in over 8 years.

[Sumez]

I'm definitely not complaining about the trade offs.

At the risk of getting into political debate, I'm all for social services and everyone providing whatever they can to society through income taxes.
One of the biggest handicaps of the American society is the general misconception that "socialism = evil". But that's just my opinion, so let's try to avoid heated arguments.

[gray117]

Interesting article.

I would say that not all of of this is verbatim truth. I presume there's also some vagaries involved too.

However, I do see similar cultural elements here that reappear in other interviews with Japanese companies... I don't know but it could hint at why console ports had previously been so unpopular with the cave staff...

Compared to western approaches his position as producer seems very under powered; I wonder who it is exactly that pushes him around so much [if they indeed actually do so]...? It seems contrary to this content/evidence, the tone of interview itself seems shockingly frank at face value for someone who is pushed around.

Maybes he's a man on the edge

[austere]

Great translation, thanks rancor! You should posts these on your website, it'd be nice to have all these translations in a single accessible place...

In Japan most companies expect all employees to take holiday at the same time of year (afaik), at which point all the airlines jack their prices up for 2 weeks to compensate.

Don't they still do that in the UK? It's the exact same thing in Australia, but I was always adamant that I was still going to go to work during the post-Christmas period. One time, a good friend of mine stuck around as well while the whole office was practically empty. That was one of the best weeks of my life, everyday at lunch time we would go a local arcades and then stick around for 3 hours playing everything. There was no way we could outspend the amount of money we were earning as we played, it was really something else. It's a shame that arcade closed down, I used to remember that week every time I passed it by.

[brentsg]

As for the USA, you're getting buttfucked as it is and you have no paid holiday on top?
Bad times.

Just none guaranteed by law. Most people have 2 weeks of vacation time and some designated days like Christmas, etc.

It depends on the company though. The job I was at 9 years, via rank I accumulated about a month off per year. Those were good times. The next job, I had only 2 weeks (and now 2 kids, ugh) so it sucked a bit. My current gig, I have 0 paid time off but I essentially knew this going in so I made sure that compensation was built into my wage.

Government employees get a boatload of time off. It sucks because this includes schools, so if you are a non-government employee you have to take off somehow when your kids are off all the time. Daycares follow suit too because they figure people have multiple kids, so if they have to stay home w/ the older ones then they'll keep the young ones at home.

So basically people w/kids run thru a bunch of vacation time just to be home when the damn government people are off work.

[rtw]

Thanks for a brilliant albeit frightening translation rancor

I second the idea that you should post it on your website.

[CptRansom]

As for the USA, you're getting buttfucked as it is and you have no paid holiday on top?
Bad times.

Just none guaranteed by law. Most people have 2 weeks of vacation time and some designated days like Christmas, etc.

It depends on the company though. The job I was at 9 years, via rank I accumulated about a month off per year. Those were good times. The next job, I had only 2 weeks (and now 2 kids, ugh) so it sucked a bit. My current gig, I have 0 paid time off but I essentially knew this going in so I made sure that compensation was built into my wage.

Government employees get a boatload of time off. It sucks because this includes schools, so if you are a non-government employee you have to take off somehow when your kids are off all the time. Daycares follow suit too because they figure people have multiple kids, so if they have to stay home w/ the older ones then they'll keep the young ones at home.

So basically people w/kids run thru a bunch of vacation time just to be home when the damn government people are off work.

This is why I don't complain about my teacher salary. I get a TON of time off and I LOVE it.

[brentsg]

This is why I don't complain about my teacher salary. I get a TON of time off and I LOVE it.

There's a little nugget in there. I've always found it generally possible to have either time or money, but not both.

For a time I had both, but it's very difficult to sustain. If you can swing this it's a blessing.

[Skykid]

Great translation, thanks rancor! You should posts these on your website, it'd be nice to have all these translations in a single accessible place...

In Japan most companies expect all employees to take holiday at the same time of year (afaik), at which point all the airlines jack their prices up for 2 weeks to compensate.

Don't they still do that in the UK?

Nope, never knew they did do that in the UK. Not in my lifetime anyway, businesses provide statutory holiday based on a pro rata basis (as dictated by law), but employees are free to request holiday whenever they want. If it doesn't clash with other folks holiday requests/leave the business with reduced manpower, then you nearly always get the break when you want it.

[rancor]

Great translation, thanks rancor! You should posts these on your website

Thanks for the kind words everyone. In all honesty, I think the interview is safer here as this site will most likely be around much longer than my own. I recently got a promotion to management at my office, which means I'm going to be putting in a LOT more hours.. Hopefully not in the style of Mr. Asada.. With that being said, the doujin shops days may be numbered. I honestly cant say yet as I don't start the new position for a few more weeks, but it is a possibility. It was made clear to me in the initial meetings that I will need to devote more time to my full-time job. I'll be sure to give a few weeks notice so I can wrap up any outstanding orders.

[austere]

Nope, never knew they did do that in the UK. Not in my lifetime anyway, businesses provide statutory holiday based on a pro rata basis (as dictated by law), but employees are free to request holiday whenever they want. If it doesn't clash with other folks holiday requests/leave the business with reduced manpower, then you nearly always get the break when you want it.

Interesting. For the record, I only stayed in the UK as a small child so I never actually worked there... all the chimney sweep positions were taken. It was just what my colleagues at work told me, they transferred in from England to Australia so it could just be that company's policy (which is a very large American multinational). Not that I'm saying they'd force you to take the break, but there's considerable pressure to do so.

the doujin shops days may be numbered

Darn. I was hoping you'd expand to offer a proxy service as well. Good luck with your new position!

[rancor]

Ok - I think I cleared up that paragraph I was asking about. I pored over the whole interview with my wife this evening and she clarified a bit for me. He's still apparently very busy as the main PR guy at Cave, but he's not spending near as much time at the office as he used to. He seems to hint at the fact that he's constantly on the road or setting up PR events. Anyhow, I've edited almost every section of the interview so it may be worthwhile to go through and read it again. There's only one small part that I've left out this time (about 1 sentence), and it has to do with him talking about making "promotional items and drama CDs" from his home. I'm not sure, but it seems that he has a recording studio in his house, although this is never explicitly stated... He just says that his house is better equipped than the Cave offices. I feel fairly confident that the interview is a finished product at this point, but having said that I may edit a few things here and there in the future.

[mjclark]

I recently got a promotion to management at my office, which means I'm going to be putting in a LOT more hours.. Hopefully not in the style of Mr. Asada..

Thanks for the translation- it's really interesting to get an insight into these people's lives and realise that, intense and fascinating as it is, it's not quite so glamorous after all.
And congratulations on your promotion too!

[gray117]

Nope, never knew they did do that in the UK. Not in my lifetime anyway, businesses provide statutory holiday based on a pro rata basis (as dictated by law), but employees are free to request holiday whenever they want. If it doesn't clash with other folks holiday requests/leave the business with reduced manpower, then you nearly always get the break when you want it.

Interesting. For the record, I only stayed in the UK as a small child so I never actually worked there... all the chimney sweep positions were taken. It was just what my colleagues at work told me, they transferred in from England to Australia so it could just be that company's policy (which is a very large American multinational). Not that I'm saying they'd force you to take the break, but there's considerable pressure to do so.

I think there's a cultural thing about taking holidays at the same time as your kids do [albeit for not as long... unless your one of those teacher types]. And you're right - travel/holiday companies certainly know when the 'seasons' are, and up go the prices, but I always thought this was fairly common to nearly everywhere (?).

I believe in the uk companies can legally refuse to give you time off at a specific period, and allocate it elsewhere, specific policies over when holiday is preferred is most likely dependant upon specific businesses [and sizes].

...

As far as games companies go in the uk most contracts will see something along the lines of unpaid overtime being necessary to meet a company 'goals' or words to that effect - deliberately vague. By contrast I believe in most (?) American states they're forced instead to pay overtime.

I wouldn't be suprised if the Japanese contracts were similar - the nature of how that contract was enforced could definitely be an issue...

I am a little inclined to again read between the lines - saying working conditions are really tough and hard, simply could be a common practice to confer that they work hard and are a disciplined work force, perhaps even exaggerated to offset certain preconceptions against the games company as a bunch of deviant slackers?

... Its a bit like that crap of coming into work early and leaving late, even if you aren't actually doing very much... Don't get me wrong - I'm sure their crunch periods are crazy busy, with office sleepins et al... but I'd find it hard to comletely believe the translated tone of near utter doom and despair - especially since the interviewer otherwise would seem like a complete arsehole in the way he then asks questions. Instead it strikes me that the interviewer is almost complicit in producing some of grinding tone here.

[Skykid]

^
AFAIK Japanese people are expected to work until they're just about dead, and then carry on. That's how it's been relayed to me from both western and Japanese folk living and working in the country. The only Japanese workplace I've seen from the inside was on a TV programme following a chap in a post office. They had had about 3 suicides within the workforce that year and the dude lived in a shoebox sized flat with his wife. His cock had stopped working from stress.

I don't consider there to be any exaggeration from Asada at all - if anything he's probably underplaying how difficult life is working for a small company pumping out several games a year across three platforms.

[Snake]

These Cave guys are overworked by Western standards, but not by Chinese factory standards, so it's good to keep it in perspective. %90 of the stuff we use was produced by people working as hard or harder at jobs that they probably find far less rewarding.

That is not putting things in perspective.

Well I think it is. It don't see how the workload of Japanese games developers is sick or disgusting when most things (often things more essential than video games) are made by people working as hard or harder.

But I'm not trying to get into a political debate. These guys work harder than I do or would want to.

[MintyTheCat]

Firstly: Many thanks to Rancor for taking the time to translate this article - thanks!

Secondly: I think that we've had some interesting viewpoints and conjectures form from this topic.

I have a number of Japanese friends, worked with some Japanese and read a fair amount over the years about Japan in addition to kendo practice.

I think the opinion that you are 'meant' to work until you are nearly dead is fairly close. However, there is a difference between 'meant' and actually 'working'.
I saw the same documentary about the 'anarchist' who worked at the post-office part time (that was only an 8 hour shift if I remember correctly...). The boss had had a nervous breakdown and would round his little team up each morning and treat them like a bunch of tools.
I have seen many changes in the UK to try and force this way of being on the UK workforce and some of the idiots are cool about it.

I think this raises bigger issues in that it should in all healthy people raise the question of what you are happy doing with your life.
Sure for some of us doing what we enjoy doing is the most important thing as we are going to spend a lot of time working between leaving school and retiring (if you make it that far...).

A few months ago I was in the UK and speaking to an old Japanese friend who really really dislikes the Japanese system and regards it as idiotic. She alluded to the supposure that everyone 'should always be busy' in Japan, and that there's a lot of guilt projected at people who do not conform. It seems really ridiculous to me to behave like this.
I think it is better if we have the maximum number of holidays and receive useful training regularly (to ensure that an employee is still 'valid' in the future and present).

I got pretty disinterested with the UK for its lack of insight and it being the only Saxon country without well thought out border control and as such moved to Germany.

Eventually the UK will wake up and so will Japan. You cannot expect to compete against China and India as things stand and there will only ever be a balance if both these countries reassess themselves for the long term.

I work as an Engineer myself and I work hard, but there has to be a balance. It benefits no one if we are always at work beyond normal hours (and this comes from someone who regularly used to work until 20:00 - 21:30 having started at 08:00 in the office back in the UK) and having to work at the weekends for the same pay. The thing is that companies never respect their employees and tend not to want to pay the going rate for their staff unless the country knows just what benefit the right people give them.

A bit of a rant, but the importance is that we cannot change a country's culture on our own but we can choose to live in another country and perhaps work for ourselves if there seem to either bad companies offering jobs or that you feel affected by your government's lack of perspective and ability to protect its citizens.

This article struck a chord for me as I know exactly how asada feels when you are trying to nail a bug and it takes longer than you anticipate but you have a load of other stuff to do.

The best way is to have hobbies and other interests - you do your stuff at work, then you do your stuff for your own interest, then you do all the other stuff that you need to do and this helps to keep things balanced.

[Skykid]

The best thing to do is be in business for ourselves. If an archaic educational system didn't stifle creativity and march you into an office job in which you get to waste your life earning money for some already rich bastard, it could be a very enterprising world.

If a kid wants to make videogames I see no purpose in spending his youth being force fed an out of date curriculum when he could learn programming during the prime of his mental capacity, and then fulfil his dream by growing up as a highly desirable expert in the field. It may be a hard job, but most people end up doing things they have no passion for just to have an income. That makes for a radically boring life.

[MintyTheCat]

The best thing to do is be in business for ourselves. If an archaic educational system didn't stifle creativity and march you into an office job in which you get to waste your life earning money for some already rich bastard, it could be a very enterprising world.

If a kid wants to make videogames I see no purpose in spending his youth being force fed an out of date curriculum when he could learn programming during the prime of his mental capacity, and then fulfil his dream by growing up as a highly desirable expert in the field. It may be a hard job, but most people end up doing things they have no passion for just to have an income. That makes for a radically boring life.

I agree, it seems that education over in the UK losing its value ever more - how many "A Stars" do we see each year. When I was younger it was literally impossible to get an "A" in anything

The more I work the more I want to work for myself.

I learned to program as a kid and it has given me a career and an education but I do agree, kids are better at picking things up than adults who have often already shut their minds down.

I do enjoy my job and what's more I use the skills I have to work on my own projects - I have a game on the go at the moment if any of you know any pixel artists.

[rtw]

Reading all this makes me glad I'm part of the scandinavian workforce.

Empowering your employees is actually considered a good thing.