Kaneko felt at first that the game was an "odd job", but over time he became deeply involved as the game graduated into being an important project for him. It was the first time the team had tried development with the Dreamcast, which proved more versatile and powerful than expected. The developers initially wanted a "neat" development project, but demands came for a more expansive project, resulting in the game's scale greatly increasing and the development process becoming chaotic, with more staff coming on board to help development. Due to these factors, the period of trial and error when creating the gameplay lasted much longer than intended. The first-person perspective combined with sword-based action was chosen to create a unique feel for the game. While 3D elements had been included in earlier Atlus titles, "Maken X" was the first time Atlus used both full 3D visuals and full-motion 3D CGI cutscenes. The game was also the first time the "Megami Tensei" team had attempted development of a game outside the role-playing genre. Okada described the main theme as power achieved through intelligence and overcoming the environments. The main narrative featured multiple references to Chinese mythology, while many of the player characters drew from historical and literary figures from each country the game visited. The Hakke leaders of the Sangokai were designed around a particular part of their body being malformed. A narrative element carried over from the "Megami Tensei" franchise was a system of choices based on morality that influenced the ending; while these elements had been thoroughly explored in "Megami Tensei", the team felt the themes still had potential and so used it in "Maken X". The game was Atlus' first title to feature full voice acting; the team initially planned to voice event scenes in English and Chinese with Japanese subtitles, but included voice acting across the whole game due to positive feedback. A similar set of circumstances led to the wide use of stereophonic sound across the whole game when it was initially planned only for action sequences. "Maken Shao: Demon Sword", known in Japan simply as "Maken Shao", was developed by Atlus for the PlayStation 2. Okada, Hashino and Kaneko returned to their respective roles. The additional CGI segments were created by Polygon Magic. While the basic gameplay and the original plot were carried over, several adjustments were made. The biggest change was a shift from a first-person to a third-person perspective; this was done due to a recurring problem with Japanese gamers dubbed "3D sickness", where people became motion sick when playing first-person games.