Editing Daikatana (section)

==Development==
[[File:John Romero - Jason Scott interview (6951215353) (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|150px|Ion Storm co-founder and ''Daikatana'' creator [[John Romero]]]]
''Daikatana'' was created by [[John Romero]], an influential developer whose résumé included founding titles in the [[first-person shooter]] genre (''[[Wolfenstein 3D]]'', ''[[Doom (1993 video game)|Doom]]'', ''[[Quake (video game)|Quake]]'') when he worked at [[id Software]]. The game was developed by [[Ion Storm]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131644/an_interview_with_ion_storms_mike_.php |title=An Interview with Ion Storm's Mike Wilson |last=Walter |first=Barbara |website=[[Gamasutra]] |date=October 31, 1997 |access-date=November 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131114151555/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131644/an_interview_with_ion_storms_mike_.php |archive-date=November 14, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> a company founded by Romero, [[Tom Hall]], Bob Wright, [[Mike Wilson (executive)|Mike Wilson]], Todd Porter, and Jerry O'Flaherty. Wilson, the CEO, was removed in November 1997, after using $30,000 in company funds to buy a [[BMW]]. Wright was removed by Porter and O'Flaherty in May 1998. Over 50 Ion Storm employees left after Wright's removal. Porter and O'Flaherty were fired in 1999, with rumors being that Romero was angry at Porter's interference in ''Daikatana''.{{sfn|Brown|1999|pp=30; 42}}<ref name="stormy weather">{{Cite news |last=Biederman |first=Christine |date=January 14, 1999 |title=Stormy weather |work=[[Dallas Observer]] |url=https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/stormy-weather-6427649 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912001132/https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/stormy-weather-6427649 |archive-date=September 12, 2024}}</ref>

The aim was for the company to create games that catered to their creative tastes without excessive publisher interference, which had constrained both Romero and Hall too much in the past.<ref name="NGen30">{{cite magazine |title=Does John Romero Still Enjoy Shooting People? |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=30 |publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=June 1997 |page=12 |url=https://archive.org/stream/NextGeneration30Jun1997/Next_Generation_30_Jun_1997#page/n12}}</ref> ''Daikatana'' was part of an initial three-game contract made between Ion Storm and expanding publisher [[Eidos Interactive]]; and the third title to be conceived at Ion Storm after ''[[Anachronox]]'' and what would become ''[[Dominion: Storm Over Gift 3]]''.<ref name="NGen30"/><ref name="IonHistory"/> Ion Storm received a $13 million advance from Eidos.{{sfn|Krantz|1997|pp=57}} The game had a rumored budget of $30 million.<ref>{{cite web |author=Vaggabond |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/article_27738 |title=The Story of Daikatana |website=[[Eurogamer]] |date=May 27, 2000 |accessdate=January 22, 2022}}</ref>

Two main influences for ''Daikatana'' were ''[[Chrono Trigger]]'' and ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time]]'',{{sfn|April Edge|1999|pp=49}} of which Romero was a fan. He implemented the sidekick feature from the former and the mighty sword from the latter.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lupetti |first1=Matteo |title=Celebrate Daikatana's 20th Birthday With Its Weird Game Boy Color Port |url=https://www.fanbyte.com/features/daikatana-gbc/ |website=Fanbyte |date=May 23, 2020 |access-date=30 March 2022}}</ref> For the sidekicks, Romero wanted Mikiko and Superfly to do everything the player does in the game. Using 2001's ''[[Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon (2001 video game)|Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon]]'' as another reference, he wanted the sidekicks to do more than what the AI squads can do like jumping, running, fighting and solving puzzles (the AI squads are locked to the ground and cannot jump). Romero later regretted this decision as he found out that programming this feature was very difficult because the sidekicks ended up being buggy and unresponsive.<ref name="MattChat">{{cite web |last1=Barton |first1=Matt |title=Matt Chat 55: Daikatana with John Romero |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQMtVbz_JuE |website=YouTube |date=March 27, 2010 |access-date=30 March 2022}}</ref>

In 1997, Romero compared ''[[Quake (video game)|Quake]]''{{'s}} seven weapons and ten monsters across the game with 150 polygons to ''Daikatana''{{'s}} thirty-five weapons and sixteen monsters per episode with 500 polygons. [[John Carmack]] stated that a game of that size could not be completed by its December release date.{{sfn|Edge|1997|pp=23}}{{sfn|Krantz|1997|pp=57}} Romero's design document for the game was 400 pages long.<ref name="20 years">{{Cite news |last=Jensen |first=K. |date=May 25, 2020 |title=20 Years Ago, John Romero's Daikatana Nearly Destroyed Doom's Legacy |work=[[PCMag]] |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/20-years-ago-john-romeros-daikatana-nearly-destroyed-dooms-legacy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906163229/https://www.pcmag.com/news/20-years-ago-john-romeros-daikatana-nearly-destroyed-dooms-legacy |archive-date=September 6, 2024}}</ref> Kee Kimbrell, the co-creator of [[DWANGO]], was the lead programmer.{{sfn|Hyper|1997|pp=44}}

The core concept was to do something different with shooter mechanics several times within the same game.<ref name="CGVinterview"/> Romero created the basic storyline, and named its protagonist Hiro Miyamoto in honour of Japanese game designer [[Shigeru Miyamoto]].<ref name="SalonRetro"/> The title is written in Japanese [[kanji]], translating roughly to "big sword". The name comes from an item in a ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' campaign played by the original members of id Software, which Romero co-founded.{{sfn|Kushner|2003}} During this early period, the team consisted of fifteen people.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.planetdaikatana.com/articles/romero-01.shtml |title=John Romero Interview |work=Planet Daikatana |date=March 20, 1997 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000904052720/http://www.planetdaikatana.com/articles/romero-01.shtml |archive-date=September 4, 2000}}</ref> The music was composed by a team which included [[Will Loconto]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cdmag.com/articles/014/057/daikatana_screenshots.html |title=New screenshots of ION Storm's 3D shooter |last=Ocampo |first=Jason |website=Computer Games Online |date=September 8, 1998 |access-date=November 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021201033946/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/014/057/daikatana_screenshots.html |archive-date=December 1, 2002 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Christian Divine created the character Superfly Johnson, originally named Super Williams in honor of ''[[Super Fly (soundtrack)|Super Fly]]'' and [[Jim Kelly (martial artist)|Jim Kelly]]'s character from ''[[Enter the Dragon]]''. He was originally of French descent with "his name taken from the few cultural documents left in the apocalyptic future" and his "character arc would be finding out his real identity at the end".<ref name="SalonRetro"/>

The game was built using the original [[Quake engine]] and had a planned release date of December 1997. Romero saw the ''[[Quake II]]'' demo at [[E3]] 1997 and decided to switch to the [[Quake II engine]], but did not receive it until February 1998.{{sfn|Edge|2008|pp=83}} A version of ''Daikatana'' on the ''Quake'' engine was shown at that year's E3 alongside ''[[Tomb Raider II]]'' "to a muted reception" according to ''[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]''.{{sfn|April Edge|1999|pp=46}}{{sfn|Edge|2003|pp=80}} It was listed at 50% completed by August 1997.{{sfn|PC Gamer|1997|pp=38}} This change resulted in many delays when finalizing the engine. The problems with programming the new engine contributed to the game being delayed from its projected 1998 release date.<ref name="IonHistory"/> Romero stated prior to release that he would have chosen the ''Quake II'' engine to develop the game from the start if given the chance.<ref name="CGOinterview"/> Romero later ascribed some problems triggered in using the technology as being due to the rivalry manufactured by the company's marketing between them and id Software.<ref name="IonHistory">{{cite web |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/the-history-of-ion-storm/ |title=The History of Ion Storm |last=Lane |first=Rick |website=[[PC Gamer]] |date=February 16, 2018 |access-date=November 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001203441/https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/the-history-of-ion-storm/ |archive-date=October 1, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> Due to the delays, development of the game ran parallel to ''Anachronox'', ''Dominion: Storm Over Gift 3'', and eventually ''[[Deus Ex (video game)|Deus Ex]]''.<ref name="IonHistory"/><ref name="GDinterview">{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010425030744/http://www.gamedaily.com/features/ionstorm/index.html |url=http://www.gamedaily.com/features/ionstorm/index.html |title=GameDAILY Interviews ION Storm's John Romero |date=January 1999 |author=Staff |work=[[GameDaily]] |archive-date=April 25, 2001 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Both ''Quake II'' and ''[[Quake III Arena]]'' came out before ''Daikatana''.{{sfn|July Edge|1999|pp=50}}

Something that further impacted production was the departure of around twenty staff members from the team, who either left Ion Storm or transferred to the Austin studio.<ref name="CGVinterview">{{cite web |url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=135776 |title=Interview: John Romero |website=[[Computer and Video Games]] |date=March 17, 2006 |access-date=November 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100417024314/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=135776 |archive-date=April 17, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="SalonRetro"/> In 1998, lead artist Bryan Pritchard left the company and was replaced by Eric Smith.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ionstorm.com/news/daily_informant/101998_102598.htm |title=Eric Smith Named Daikatana Lead Artist |website=[[Ion Storm]] |date=October 23, 1998 |access-date=November 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011208154621/http://www.ionstorm.com/news/daily_informant/101998_102598.htm |archive-date=December 8, 2001 |url-status=dead}}</ref> According to Divine, the growing negative press surrounding the company had a further detrimental effect on development. Some of the backlash eventually led to his own departure for Ion Storm's Austin studio to work on ''Deus Ex''.<ref name="SalonRetro">{{Cite news |last=Divine |first=Christian |date=January 2, 2002 |title=A hardcore elegy for Ion Storm |work=[[Salon.com]] |url=https://www.salon.com/2002/01/02/ion_storm/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912003231/https://www.salon.com/2002/01/02/ion_storm/ |archive-date=September 12, 2024}}</ref> Almost the entire team working on ''Daikatana'' left to join [[Gathering of Developers]] by 1999.<ref name="stormy weather"/> The most notorious incident was the public resignation of nine core team members at once, something Romero understood given the low team morale but felt as a betrayal of trust.<ref name="IonHistory"/><ref name="SalonRetro"/> The departures led to the hiring of [[Stevie Case]] as level designer and Chris Perna to polish and add to character models.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/legacy/interviews/womengaming5_a.shtm |title=Women of Gaming; Stevie "Killcreek" Case--Ion Storm |last=Law |first=Caryn |website=[[GameSpy]] |access-date=November 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110224142002/http://archive.gamespy.com/legacy/interviews/womengaming5_a.shtm |archive-date=February 24, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/interviews/december00/aog4/ |title=The Art of Gaming 2: Volume 7 |last=Kelly |first=Ryan |website=[[GameSpy]] |access-date=November 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081004220446/http://archive.gamespy.com/interviews/december00/aog4/ |archive-date=October 4, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> 17 people, one-fifth of Ion Storm's employees, left in early 1999, and Corrinne Yu, director of technology, left for [[3D Realms]].{{sfn|Presley|1999|pp=21}} Only two staff members remained on the game for the entirety of its production.<ref name="CGVinterview"/>

Problems reached the point that Eidos publishing director John Kavanagh was sent down to sort out problems surrounding its production.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cdmag.com/articles/018/118/eye_on_storm.html |title=Eidos Eyeing Ion? |last=Fudge |first=James |website=Computer Games Online |date=March 21, 1999 |access-date=November 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030704112130/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/018/118/eye_on_storm.html |archive-date=July 4, 2003 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In a later interview, Romero admitted there were many faults with the game at release, blaming the development culture and management clashes at Ion Storm, in addition to staff departures causing much of the work to be scrapped and begun over again.<ref name="IonHistory"/><ref name="CGVinterview"/> Divine attributed the problems to a combination of overly carefree atmosphere, and corporate struggles about company ownership interfering with game production.<ref name="SalonRetro"/> In a 1999 interview, Romero attributed the slowing of development during that period to the staff departures, but said that most of the level design and the entire score had been completed before that.<ref name="CGOinterview"/> ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]'' listed the game 5th on the list of [[vaporware]] for 1999.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=January 3, 2000 |title=Vaporware '99: The 'Winners' |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |url=https://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2000/01/33142 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725102556/https://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2000/01/33142 |archive-date=July 25, 2008}}</ref> A sequel, using the [[Unreal Engine 1]], was considered.{{sfn|Coffey|1999|p=169}}{{sfn|PC Accelerator|1999|p=34}}