Lumines is as engaging as its creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi. That was proven at the Develop conference just today, when he enthralled the audience as he discussed what inspired his colorful career. Described as a "creative visionary" by no less than Sony Computer Entertainment head honcho Phil Harrison, Mizuguchi said that  gaming had been like a sponge for the last 30 years. He's been influenced by different aspects of entertainment, technology, and culture. He said, "You can use influences from anywhere and create anything you like. There does not have to be any shape or format, all you need is inspiration."

With that as a backdrop, he revealed that Ninety-Nine Nights was inspired by a TV coverage of the Iraqi War where media played the harbinger of a multitude of opposing viewpoints. In part, the game was also inspired by the movie 'Rashomon', where different witnesses to a brutal crime tell a different story. In N3, players are offered different viewpoints, all with compelling effect. To Mizuguchi, it's "a deep part of being human; the ability to see things from different perspectives."

Lumines, the puzzle game based on sound and light patterns, was inspired by the PSP, which he called a "visual Walkman". To him, it's the perfect game for the system. While visuals drove him to create Lumines, Meteos for DS was inspired by the multi-tasking environment that has become the way of life in this day and age.

His earlier works - Rez and Space Channel 5 - were influence by dance culture, the idea of invasive media, the musical Stomp, jazz, surreal art and MTV. His stint at Sega led him to create Manx TT Superbike and Sega Rally, both inspired by the popularity of racing events and the idea of movement becoming part of games. This is one guy who finds inspiration from most anything.

Getting a bit philosophical, Mizuguchi ends his speech with: "The deeper you look at people, the more they are the game. A game should fulfill a deep human need or want. Then it can be successful all over the world."