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Assets used in the Pikmin series

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The Pikmin series and its world is built with distinct pieces of imagery, audio, and typefaces. A large portion of the assets used in the games are made from scratch and are proprietary to Nintendo, though occasionally, some of these assets may be taken or contain elements from external sources. This can include commercially-available software libraries, or real-life objects and hardware.

Stock photography

Since the objects and environments within the Pikmin series are often based on human technology and nature in the real world, photography of real items and locations on Earth are a common resource for textures. For the first game, a large amount of these images were taken in Japan by members of the game's own staff.[1] However, it was not uncommon for some few pieces of foliage to be made using graphics from stock photography libraries. For more unnatural materials, this occurred a lot more often. During the development of Pikmin and Pikmin 2, these libraries were primarily sold and distributed on CD-ROMs.

Sozaijiten

 
The cover of Sozaijiten Vol. 6, one of the CD-ROMs used in the Pikmin series.

Sozaijiten (素材辞典?, lit.: "Material Dictionary") is a series of stock image libraries by Datacraft that is advertised and sold as volumes. The content of each volume is themed (usually around a type of material, part of nature, or event), and were originally distributed on singular CD-ROMs. For Pikmin and Pikmin 2, photographs and artwork from Sozaijiten are used very often and in a myriad of ways.

On Sozaijiten's website, low-resolution previews of every image are available for browsing. The previews come with descriptions; these reveal the original shooting location of certain photos, or some miscellaneous information about the photographed material.

List of Sozaijiten textures used in Pikmin
Volume Name Source Image Texture/Screenshot Description
Vol. 6 四季・自然編

(Seasons and Nature)

SF085     The background to a piece of promotional artwork for Pikmin. It is an image of some horsetails, taken in Atsuta, Hokkaido.
Vol. 6 四季・自然編

(Seasons and Nature)

SF097     The background to a piece of promotional artwork for Pikmin.
Vol. 6 四季・自然編

(Seasons and Nature)

SF122 File:Pikmin The Final Trial Island Base.png   The mountains in the area selection menu. It is a photograph of Mount Kamui and Lake Mashū.
Vol. 6 四季・自然編

(Seasons and Nature)

SF164 File:Pikmin World Map Base.png   The main landmass in the area selection menu. It was taken in Shakotan, Hokkaido.
Vol. 13 葉・葉脈編

(Leaves and Leaf Veins)

SM054     Several plants found in the The Impact Site. It is a photograph of an elderberry's leaves.
Vol. 16 皮・年輪編

(Wood Textures)

SQ166     The base of several wooden stumps in The Distant Spring.
Vol. 21 宇宙・惑星編

(Space and Planets)

SV001     PNF-404, in the Nintendo Player's Guide of Pikmin. It is a photograph of Earth. It is also used for Koppai in the opening of Pikmin 3.
Vol. 21 宇宙・惑星編

(Space and Planets)

SV002     PNF-404, during the credits of Pikmin. It is a photograph of Earth.
Vol. 21 宇宙・惑星編

(Space and Planets)

SV007     PNF-404, during the good ending cutscene of Pikmin. It is a photograph of Earth.
List of Sozaijiten textures used in Pikmin 2
Volume Name Source Image Texture/Screenshot Description
Vol. 1 テクスチャー・石編

(Stone Textures)

SA068     Stone used around the geyser in the 2nd sublevel of the Emergence Cave.
Vol. 2 紙・布・木編

(Paper, Cloth, and Wood Textures)

SB108     The fabric for the Five-man Napsack.
Vol. 5 空・雲編

(Sky and Clouds)

SE074     The fog in the area selection menu of Pikmin 2.
Vol. 6 四季・自然編

(Seasons and Nature)

SF122 File:Pikmin The Final Trial Island Base.png   The mountains in the area selection menu. It is a photograph of Mount Kamui and Lake Mashū.
Vol. 6 四季・自然編

(Seasons and Nature)

SF164 File:Pikmin World Map Base.png   The main landmass in the area selection menu. It was taken in Shakotan, Hokkaido.
Vol. 6 四季・自然編

(Seasons and Nature)

SF190     Snow used for the Valley of Repose's background image. The image was taken on a beach in Otaru.
Vol. 6 四季・自然編

(Seasons and Nature)

SF191     Trees used for the Valley of Repose's background image. The image was taken in Shikaoi, Hokkaido.
Vol. 8 壁・土編

(Walls and Soils)

SH071     Used for the build cave background. It has been flipped horizontally.
Vol. 8 壁・土編

(Walls and Soils)

SH096     Several metallic sheets buried in the ground that appear in the Perplexing Pool.
Vol. 13 葉・葉脈編

(Leaves and Leaf Veins)

SM074     Large leaves in the Perplexing Pool. It is a photograph of Galax.
Vol. 16 皮・年輪編

(Wood Textures)

SQ166     The base of several wooden stumps in the Perplexing Pool and a unique cave unit seen in the Hole of Heroes.
Vol. 21 宇宙・惑星編

(Space and Planets)

SV161     A galaxy that can be seen in the Debt Repayment Cinema in Pikmin 2. It is a photograph of a spiral galaxy in the Pegasus constellation.
Vol. 21 宇宙・惑星編

(Space and Planets)

SV186     Nebulae that can be seen in the Opening and Debt Repayment Cinemas in Pikmin 2. It is a photograph of the Orion Nebula.
Vol. 21 宇宙・惑星編

(Space and Planets)

SV187     Nebulae that can be seen in the Opening and Debt Repayment Cinemas in Pikmin 2. It is a photograph of the Orion Nebula.
Vol. 24 大理石編

(Marbles)

SY089     The texture for the Priceless Statue and Worthless Statue. It is an image of Grigio Carnico marble.
Vol. 53 木目・組木・あじろ編

(Grain, Interlocked and Braided Wood)

CD123     The texture used for the Shock Therapist's wooden base. It is an image of rosewood.
Vol. 53 木目・組木・あじろ編

(Grain, Interlocked and Braided Wood)

CD138     Used for the flooring cave background. It is an image of 5-inch white oak flooring. Several planks of wood were stretched.

Bakku no Oni

 
An image of Bakku no Oni SABI 2.

Bakku no Oni (バックの鬼?, lit.: "Background Demon") is a series of stock image libraries that was distributed by A&P CO-ORDINATOR JAPAN. Its volumes were themed after specific types of aesthetics. Images from "Bakku no Oni SABI 2" were often used as textures for the caves in Pikmin 2.

List of Bakku no Oni textures used in Pikmin 2
Volume Name Source Image Texture/Screenshot Description
寂2

(SABI 2)

RUST-08     Used for a small metal plate in the center of the room_hitode3x3_5_metal cave unit.
寂2

(SABI 2)

RUST-27     Used for the dark brown metal in many metallic cave units, and the top of the bucket in the room_big_kusachi garden cave unit.
寂2

(SABI 2)

RUST-34     Used as the center room's floor in room_white14x12_metal, the main cave unit in sublevel 3 of the White Flower Garden.
寂2

(SABI 2)

RUST-36     The blue rusted metal used in many metallic cave units.
寂2

(SABI 2)

RUST-41     Used in the small path in room_white14x12_metal, and as the circular rim in the Titan Dweevil's arena, room_oootakara_tile.

VisualDisk

 
The front cover of VisualDisk M-10 Leaves.

VisualDisk is a series of stock image libraries that was distributed by dizáin. Similar in scope to Sozaijiten, there was a very large amount of volumes released and high variety in its content. However, it is used sparsely in Pikmin 2.

List of VisualDisk textures used in Pikmin 2
Volume Name Source Image Texture/Screenshot Description
M-02 Metals M2_01     Used for the top of the bucket in the room_big_kusachi garden cave unit. It is mixed with "RUST-27" from Bakku no Oni SABI 2.
M-10 Leaves M10_05     Used for various autumn leaves on Pikmin 2's title screen, and in the intro for the Wistful Wild when landing in the area for the first time.
M-10 Leaves M10_43     Used for several plants in the Wistful Wild. The leaves have been edited to look like they are decaying.

Audio

Similar to graphics, creating game audio often involves the sampling of various sound libraries. The games within the Pikmin series are a good example, where a large amount of audio can be sourced back to a number of different commercially-released products. These products are used to create the individual instrument samples and sound effects in the games, as well as pieces of streamed music. All of the music in Pikmin, Pikmin 2, and Pikmin 3 use audio from digital instruments and synthesizers; instances of musicians performing live on real acoustic instruments are highly uncommon in the games. The new music composed by Babi for Pikmin 3 Deluxe is one of the very few occasions where this was done.[2]

Since there is a history of many different composers and sound effect programmers contributing to the games, there is a large variety of synthesizers and sample libraries that have been used. Listed below are all of these currently known products.

List of products used for music
Product Image Year Format          
Roland SC-88   1994 Hardware synthesizer Used Used Used Absent Absent
Kurzweil K2500R   1996 Hardware synthesizer Used Used Used Used Absent
KORG TRITON STUDIO   2002 Hardware synthesizer Absent Absent Used Absent Absent
Yamaha S90   2002 Hardware synthesizer Absent Used Absent Absent Absent
Yamaha PLG150-DX   1999 Plug-in board Absent Used Absent Absent Absent
Yamaha PLG150-VL   1999 Plug-in board Absent Used Absent Absent Absent
InVision Lightware 1   1989 AKAI CD-ROM Absent Used Absent Absent Absent
Drums + Percussion Special Edit.   1992 AKAI CD-ROM Absent Used Absent Absent Absent
Orchestral Colours   1993 AKAI CD-ROM Absent Used Absent Absent Absent
ZERO-G Ambient Volume 2   1993 AKAI CD-ROM Absent Used Absent Absent Absent
ILIO Synclavier Sampler Library   1994 AKAI CD-ROM Absent Used Absent Absent Absent
Advanced Orchestra   1997 AKAI CD-ROM Absent Used Used Used Absent
SampleCell II CD-ROM Library   1991 SampleCell CD-ROM Used Used Absent Absent Absent
Ultra Gigapack   1995 SampleCell CD-ROM Used Used Absent Absent Absent
Now CD-ROM   1994 CD-ROM Absent Absent Absent Absent Used
Bass Legends   1994 CD-ROM Absent Used Absent Absent Absent
Supreme Beats   1995 CD-ROM Used Used Used Absent Absent
Series 4000 Sound FX   1989 Audio CD-ROM Absent Used Used Absent Absent
Series 6000 Sound FX   1992 Audio CD-ROM Absent Used Used Absent Absent
Warner Bros. Sound FX   1992 Audio CD-ROM Absent Used Absent Absent Absent
Animal Trax   1996 Audio CD-ROM Absent Absent Used Absent Absent
ZERO-G Ethnic Flavours   1996 Audio CD-ROM Absent Absent Used Absent Absent
Voices of Istanbul   2000 Audio CD-ROM Absent Used Absent Absent Absent
Symphonic Orchestra   2003 Software instrument Absent Absent Used Used Absent
Ra   2005 Software instrument Absent Absent Used Absent Absent
HALion One   2006 Software instrument Absent Absent Used Absent Absent
Stormdrum 2   2007 Software instrument Absent Absent Used Absent Absent
Vienna Special Edition Volume 1   2007 Software instrument Absent Absent Absent Absent Used
Heavyocity Evolve   2008 Software instrument Absent Absent Absent Used Absent
Omnisphere   2008 Software instrument Absent Absent Used Absent Used
Discovery Series: West Africa   2010 Software instrument Absent Absent Absent Absent Used
Ethno World 5   2010 Software instrument Absent Absent Absent Absent Used
KONTAKT Factory Library   2010 Software instrument Absent Absent Used Absent Absent
Stylus RMX   2010 Software instrument Absent Absent Absent Absent Used
Heavyocity Damage   2011 Software instrument Absent Absent Absent Absent Used
Soniccouture Music Boxes   2011 Software instrument Absent Absent Absent Used Absent
Logic Pro X   2004 DAW Absent Absent Used Absent Absent
List of products used for sound effects
Product Image Year Format        
E-MU Proteus/2 Orchestral   1990 Hardware synthesizer Used Used Absent Absent
E-MU Proteus/3 World   1991 Hardware synthesizer Used Absent Absent Absent
Roland SC-88   1994 Hardware synthesizer Used Used Used Used
Kurzweil K2500R   1996 Hardware synthesizer Used Used Used Used
SampleCell II CD-ROM Library   1991 SampleCell CD-ROM Used Used Absent Absent
Ultra Gigapack   1995 SampleCell CD-ROM Absent Used Absent Absent
Distorted Reality   1995 CD-ROM Absent Used Absent Absent
Supreme Beats   1995 CD-ROM Used Used Used Used
Sound Ideas Sampler Library   1987 Audio CD-ROM Used Used Absent Absent
Series 4000 Sound FX   1989 Audio CD-ROM Used Used Used Absent
Series 6000 Sound FX   1992 Audio CD-ROM Used Used Used Used
Universal Studios Sound FX   1992 Audio CD-ROM Used Used Absent Absent
Warner Bros. Sound FX   1992 Audio CD-ROM Used Used Used Used
Omnisphere   2008 Software instrument Absent Absent Used Absent

A more detailed list that includes the specific songs these products are used in can be viewed here.

Kurzweil K2500

 
The Kurzweil K2500R.
 
Hajime Wakai and his powered-on K2500R behind him.

The Kurzweil K2500 is a synthesizer manufactured by Kurzweil Music Systems in 1996. The Kurzweil K2500R is its rackmount variant, and the specific model that was owned and used by Hajime Wakai. Typically, rackmount versions of synthesizers are identical in functionality, but they lack a physical keyboard. This makes them more compact and easy to cram into a studio space; however, it is intended that they be connected to an external MIDI device, such as a musical keyboard, a computer, or some other MIDI-compatible instrument in order to use them.

A lesser-known synthesizer, it is the signature synth of Hajime Wakai, and a staple of the audio design in the Pikmin series as a whole. It is used in Pikmin, Pikmin 2, Pikmin 3, Pikmin 3 Deluxe, and Pikmin 4. In some parts of Pikmin 3, Asuka Hayazaki uses this synthesizer. Soshi Abe uses samples from it for Pikmin 3 Deluxe and Pikmin 4.

K2500 preview

A short demo of sounds from the K2500.

K2500 SFX preview

Two sounds from the K2500 that appear as sound effects in Pikmin.

Also used within the Pikmin games is the "K25 FARM". It is a collection of several hundred new programs for the K2500. These exclusive presets came on a floppy disk with brand new purchases of the synthesizer.

K25 FARM preview

A short demo of some sounds exclusive to the K25 FARM.

Roland SC-88

 
The Roland SC-88.

The Roland SC-88 is a General MIDI-based synthesizer, manufactured by Roland in 1994. An entry in the Roland Sound Canvas series, it has 654 default instrument presets and 22 drumset presets that are designed to perfectly conform to the General MIDI standard, making it excellent for the playback of MIDI songs. It is still useful as a compositional tool; the sounds from the Roland Sound Canvas line of synthesizers are very common in video games. Compressed samples of audio from a SC-55 are even utilized for the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth, the default "soundfont" for MIDI playback on most computers.[3]

It is used primarily in the music of Pikmin and Pikmin 2, by Hajime Wakai. Alongside the Kurzweil K2500, these two synthesizers make up the vast majority of instrument samples in those games.

SC-88 preview

A short demo of sounds from the SC-88.

Yamaha S90

 
The Yamaha S90.

The Yamaha S90 is a synthesizer manufactured by Yamaha Corporation in 2002. It has 384 instrument presets and 48 drumset presets, and its acoustic instruments in particular are much more realistic than the older Kurzweil K2500R and Roland SC-88.

The Yamaha S90 is commonly used by Kazumi Totaka; in the Pikmin series, it has only been used in the music of Pikmin 2.

S90 preview

A short demo of sounds from the S90 that were used in Pikmin 2.
 
Image of one of the expansion boards, the PLG150-DX.

Expansion boards

Many of Yamaha's synthesizers produced around 1998 to 2003 featured support for the "Modular Synthesis Plug-in System". This allowed for the synthesizers's preset count to be expanded by plugging in an expansion board. In total, 12 of these boards were produced. A few of them contain just basic sets of waveforms, while others are fully-fledged synthesizers. The "PLG150-AN", for example, generates sound with analog synthesis.

Along with his Yamaha S90, Kazumi Totaka uses the PLG150-DX and PLG150-VL expansion boards for some songs for Pikmin 2. The two boards use FM synthesis and physical modelling synthesis respectively.

Fonts

Most of the fonts used in the Pikmin games are commercially-available fonts created by Dynacomware or Fontworks. Originally, they were sold bundled together with many other typefaces and distributed on CD-ROMs, but the individual fonts are still available online. Because of their availability, usage of these fonts in other media may be mistaken as a reference to the Pikmin series.

DF Craft Sumi

 
DFCraftSumi Std W9.

DF Craft Sumi is a typeface created by Dynacomware. "DFCraftSumi Std W9" is used in Pikmin and Pikmin 2 for the bubble-like letters that appear in some menus and cutscenes. In Pikmin 3 and Hey! Pikmin, a modified version of this font is used.

DF POP 1

 
DFPOP1 Std W3.

DF POP 1 is a typeface created by Dynacomware. "DFPOP1 Std W3" is used as the main text font in Pikmin, such as for Olimar's monologs.

Seurat

 
Seurat Pro DB.

Seurat is a typeface created by Fontworks. "Seurat Pro DB" is used as the main text font in Pikmin 2 and Hey! Pikmin, as seen in the ship's dialogs and other various menu elements.

Rodin NTLG

 
RodinNTLG Pro DB.

Rodin NTLG is a typeface created by Fontworks. It is one of the most commonly used typefaces by Nintendo, and has distinct usage within the Pikmin series:

RodinNTLG Pro DB is also the main text font in Pikmin 3. It is used for on-screen character dialog, text displayed on the KopPad, and other various menu elements.

New Rodin

 
NewRodin Pro DB.

New Rodin is a typeface created by Fontworks. "NewRodin Pro DB" is used in Pikmin 3 for the numbers in the countdown at sunset. In Pikmin 4, a modified version of the typeface is used commonly throughout the game.

DF Gothic P

 
A comparison between the font texture used for the staff roll in Pikmin 3, and the DFGothicP W3 font.

DF Gothic P is a typeface created by Dynacomware. "DFGothicP W3" is used for the staff credits in Pikmin 3. The characters have been resized so that they take up similar amounts of horizontal space.

  • A scene from the credits in Pikmin 3.

Minor fonts

Chiaro

 
The texture used on the saved game selection menu in Pikmin 2. It uses Chiaro Std B.

Chiaro is a typeface created by Fontworks. "Chiaro Std B" is used exclusively on the saved game selection menu in Pikmin and Pikmin 2.

  • The saved game selection menu in Pikmin.

  • The saved game selection menu in Pikmin 2.

Pop Fury

 
The texture for an unused font used in Pikmin. It uses PopFury Std B.

Pop Fury is a typeface created by Fontworks. "PopFury Std B" is present in Pikmin as an unused font texture, testFont.txe.

Rowdy

Rowdy is a typeface created by Fontworks. "Rowdy Std EB" is used in Pikmin 3 for the icons of the +10 Pikmin and +5 Rare Pikmin Roulette Wheel items in Bingo Battle.

  • The +10 Pikmin texture for the Roulette Wheel.

  • The +5 Rare Pikmin texture for the Roulette Wheel

Proprietary fonts

Some text that appears in the games use fonts that are uniquely created for the Pikmin series itself.

Pikmin 3 bubble-like font

An updated variant of DFCraftSumi Std W9 is used in Pikmin 3 and Hey! Pikmin. It highly resembles the original typeface, but many minor changes have been made to improve readability, such as making the tails of certain characters longer and their widths more consistent.

 
A comparison between DFCraftSumi Std W9, and its smoother look-alike in Pikmin 3.

Hocotate Freight text

The logo for Hocotate Freight uses a uniquely designed font. It is alien-like, but still legible English.

  • The Hocotate Freight logo in the Pikmin 2 intro cutscene.

  • A sign bearing Hocotate Freight's logo.

Koppaite text

Main article: Koppaite text.

In Pikmin 3 and Pikmin 4, an in-universe written language appears very frequently on technology and as a background element throughout various in-game menus. The text appears as an assortment of illegible alien symbols, but these characters are actually translatable into the 26 letters in the English alphabet, which reveal some small secrets when various instances of the text are deciphered.

Trivia

References

  1. ^ YouTube video of footage from E3, where it is stated that some of the materials used in Pikmin are from around Shigeru Miyamoto's neighborhood (at 10:10)
  2. ^ Babi's response to an e-mail inquiry on Pikipedia
  3. ^ YouTube video of a live comparison between the SC-55 (via the virtual SCVA plugin) and the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth
  4. ^ Detailed spreadsheet that documents sound sources used in the series, maintained by fans on Google Sheets
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