Toshiyuki Hirota

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Toshiyuki Hirota
Toshiyuki Hirota - 01.png
Local ひろた としゆき
Born
Birth Place Japan
Nationality Japanese   Japan.svg
Aliases Alice Kagamino, Ariko Kagamino (鏡乃 亜梨子), Kazune Hiiragi, T. Hirota

Toshiyuki Hirota (better known as Alice Kagamino) is a Japanese game developer. He started off working for Home Data where he used the alias. While at Home Data, he programmed several titles for the company, including sound engines for the company. He later left the company to work at Biox (along with other Home Data staff) where he programmed their Game Gear sound engine.

His real name was revealed in Home Data's ports of Marble Madness, where he is credited as "T. Hirota" on the back of the game's packaging (along with a photo), whilst using the "Alice Kagamino" name in the game's credits.

In the Sharp X68000 version of Marble Madness, there is a hidden message from each of the developers. He had the following to say:

“
Hello! (Good evening to those of you reading at night!) I am Ariko Kagamino, who created various tricks, text displays, demo connections, etc. How was Marble Madness? (If you haven't played it yet, go play it.) This is the first time it has appeared on a domestic PC, Compared to the NES and Amiga versions already on the market, I think we have created something that is second to none. This was my first time developing for the X68000, so I am sure there will be things I will not be able to do well, but I will do my best for the next one, so please bear with me.

By the way, I myself am an X68K user, but when I started development, I was very troubled because the X68K was a computer that seemed to be able to do everything, but could not do anything. Marble Madness seems simple, but it is quite a complex process, so I had a very hard time with it! (e.g., increasing the resolution to clean up the graphics, not using BGs to display lots of sprites, etc.) Oh, sorry. I got a bit wordy. However, because of the hard work I did, I learned a lot about the X68K, and I would like to make use of it in the future.

Now, I hear that the other staff members have a lot to say, so I will let them take over.
„

Audio Development

NES

Alice programmed a sound driver in 6502 assembly. The music uses a custom form of MML.

X68

Kagamino made changes to Yoshihiko Kurata's (of Bandit Inc.) sound driver MUDRV.

Gameography

Released Title Sample Notes
1989-11-24 Cosmic Epsilon (FC) (コズミックイプシロン) Sound Driver
1990-08-10 Shougi: Shodan Icchokusen (PCE) (将棋 初段一直線)
Sound Driver?
1991-02-15 Famicom Shougi: Ryuuousen (FC) (ファミコン将棋 竜王戦)
Sound Driver
1991-03-15 Marble Madness (X68) (マーブルマドネス) X68k MUDRV music driver version 2.00
Last modify 1991.3.11
1991-05-24 Tetra Star: The Fighter (FC) (テトラスター) Music Arrange: Music Program, Sound Effect [sic] with Hiroshi Endo.
1991-12-20 Mahjong Yuuenchi (X68) (麻雀遊園地) X68k MUDRV music driver version 2.10
Last modify 1991.7.2
1991-11-29 Famicom Igo Nyuumon (FC) (ファミコン囲碁入門) Sound Driver
1991-11-29 Shougi: Shoshinsha Muyou (PCE) (将棋 初心者無用)
Sound Driver?
1995-02-17 Ristar (GG) (リスター) Sound Programmer
1995-04-28 Tails' Sky Patrol (GG) (テイルスのスカイパトロール) With Chikayo Fukuda.
1995-12-22 Ninku 2: Tenkuuryuu e no Michi (GG) (忍空2 ～天空龍への道～) Sound Driver
2000-04-28 Daiku no Gen-san: Kachikachi no Tonkachi ga Kachi (GBC) (大工の源さん カチカチのトンカチがカチ) Sound Driver?
2001-02-02 Samurai Kid (GBC) (サムライキッド) Sound Driver?
Unreleased Home Data no Igo (PCE) (ホームデータの囲碁) Sound Driver?

Image Gallery

  • Photo from the back cover of Marble Madness (FM Towns/PC-9801/Sharp X68000 versions)

Aliases

Hirota used the pseudonym Alice Kagamino throughout a majority of his career. He has also revealed himself to be the same person as Kazune Hiiragi (柊和音).[1] The name translates to "Chord of the Holly Tree".

Links

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