The composition of the video we saw [at the premier] is mainly for those who played the previous one.
CVG: Would it be possible to talk about the new Metal Gear, Metal Gear Ray? Because in the first game the Metal Gear was the ultimate final boss, but you get the impression from the video footage that the new Metal Gear appears more often. Will he be the ultimate final boss, or will there be something different?
HK: It's a secret. That's the second secret.
CVG: Okay, well� Metal Gear Ray looks more biological than the first Metal Gear, which was more like a typical Mech. Does this mean that it has more biological weapons or will it do other types of things rather than stomp around and shoot?
HK: Err... the third secret [laughs]. It's really more like an animal in that sense. It is a robot, but it really moves like an animal - more organic and biological.
CVG: The original MGS made groundbreaking use of the DualShock controller - it's one of the most talked-about aspects of the game. Now you have the DualShock 2, will you be making use of the sensitivity of the analogue buttons?
HK: [makes alternating quick pointing, then slow pointing gestures, then quick ducking and slow ducking movements] Depending on how fast you press the button you can crawl at your normal speed, or you can crawl quickly. And quick draw, you can do stuff like that with the analogue button. And [while aiming the gun] you have to go slowly, because if you let it go too quickly it will fire too violently.~CVG: Had you considered this type of feature before DualShock 2 was announced?
HK: Yes. I wanted to do that with the analogue sticks of the previous controller. Like make Snake run faster if you tilt the stick quickly, and stuff like that.
CVG: Have you tried any of the PC espionage games like Rainbow Six, or maybe the PlayStation game Syphon Filter? And if so how do these differ from the Metal Gear Solid experience, from your point of view?
HK: First of all, I want to play those games but I have 3D sickness, so I cannot play those games. I've read the book Rainbow Six, and I've had people on the team playing it so I can watch from behind and see what it's like. [Metal Gear is different], not only the storytelling but the way we deal with the stealth factor, you know sneaking in without being seen, is totally different in our game than in their games.
CVG: How different is the 3D technology in Metal Gear Solid 2 than the previous game?
HK: What we're trying to do is L.O.D. - you know level of detail type stuff. When you have something approaching you, you need to switch models the closer something is, because the closer something is the more detailed it gets. We're trying to do this better in this game.
CVG: Talking of detail, in the gunfights there are bottles breaking, and plants breaking. How interactive is the 3D environment, is everything breakable? And how does this affect the gameplay?
HK: We want the 3D environment to be as interfere-able as possible. We want the players to be able to destroy things the way they want to destroy it, not the way we program it to be destroyed. For example, if someone shoots a pipe - if you shoot it from a certain angle the steam comes out [mimes the shock effect of steam bursting out onto someone]. But that changes depending on from where you shoot it - like how strong it shoots, or how far it shoots out, because the steam can hit the enemies and can get them.
