Splatoon 2 producer on making a proper sequel, matchmaking, weapons, controls, HD Rumble, voice chat app info

The following comes from a Famitsu interveiw with Splatoon 2 producer Hisashi Nogami, as translated by NE...

F: So you’re saying, as a proper sequel, it’s a fresh new take on various things.

HN: The gameplay fundamentals are still the same, of course, and the basic Turf War rules haven’t changed […] but the Special Weapons have all been given makeovers. I decided to have the weapons be gradually released as well, like before. We plan to have more weapons than the first game, with the available choices at the start being more numerous than the original. But I wanted players to once again enjoy the changes in the weapon trends as new ones are steadily introduced. The combinations of Main Weapons and Specials have been changed, and the Sub Weapons are also being revised, so I hope everyone who played the first will enjoy testing out all of the new combinations for themselves.

F: Those were the days. (Laughs) At the presentation it was mentioned that players could play “together, from around the world”. You’re planning on having worldwide matchmaking again?

HN: We are. We’d like to have everyone around the world be able to play together, but the Splatfests will be unique to each region, as they were previously. Just like the first game, we’d like to have people from around the world be able to fight each other.

F: Chargers also allow you to move while holding the charge now.

HN: We’re calling this ability to maintain your charge the “Charge Keep” [note: subject to change in English]. If you turn into squid form while holding a full charge, you can maintain the charged state briefly while moving around. When you exit squid form, you’ll still have the charge ready. If you take too long, though, the charged state will end.

F: So the weapon lineup in 2 will be an expansion upon what was available in the first game?

HN: That’s right. They have all had their parameters adjusted, and we plan to have more available in the end, compared to the first game.

F: I’ve heard that the special weapons have all been completely redone.

HN: That is true. All of the special weapons from the previous game have been changed.

F: Will the weapon combinations be locked, like in the first game?

HN: Main Weapons, Sub Weapons and Special Weapons all come as a set, but since we’ve reworked the Special Weapons, we’ll be revising the combinations.

F: I’ve also heard that there are new hair-styles and bottoms available.

HN: The hair-styles and bottoms will be available to change, just like the skin color and eyes in the first game. They don’t affect your battle performance, they’re just extra ways to accent your style. On the other hand, headgear, clothing and shoes all have gear abilities.

F: Moving on, I’d like to hear about how the game controls. Are all of the controllers types supported?

HN: Yes, we’re making it possible to play the game using all available controllers. The Joy-Con are bundled with the system, so it’s possible to play only using them. But the standard for Splatoon 2 will be docking the Joy-Con inside the grip to play. There’s also the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. It’s sold separately, but it’s very nice to play with, so I’m thinking about recommending it to Splatoon 2 players. And of course, you can play it in portable mode as well.

F: The smartphone app allows players to engage in things like voice chat, using the online service. Will Splatoon 2 be making use of this app too? And if it does, could you tell us a bit about how it works?

HN: Of course it supports it. The application and game work together: you can and your friends can use the app to create rooms and gather together to play, which then matches you up in the game. You can invite friends to rooms using just the app, or you can invite people not on your friend list using social network sites. You can even create rooms in advance. For example, during the afternoon, you can set up a room to invite friends to a match that same evening. Then, once enough people join, you can start the game. So you can use it to set up these “meetups”. You can also use the application to engage in voice chat with other players in the room during gameplay. This feature also works together with the game. For example, in Splatoon 2, you can chat with everyone in the room before the private match starts, but once the teams are decided, it automatically limits the chat to only be with your own team. The voice chat only functions between people in the same room, so you can’t talk to strangers.

F: I can’t wait! Since the Nintendo Switch features HD Rumble, will this game be using it?

HN: It will indeed make use of HD Rumble. Since it’s capable of very expressive feelings, we’re putting a lot of effort in to get the best tactile sensations possible.