XionTawa
New Member
- Wii U - PIC
- Controller - Like an iPad with buttons... @_@ (6.2 inch screen)
- Coming in 2012
- Fully backward compatible with Wii games.
- Everything we know so far...
- Game Demos:
My quick Wii U overview...
- Thread starter XionTawa
- Start date
Logos
Active Member
Okay maybe I am the oddball...BUT me LIKE!!!!!
This is the stage where the nay-sayers say nay. Eventually, we'll get to the part where Nintendo is rewarded for doing something different by receiving mountains of cash.
Remember that many people scoffed at the Wii as a fad when it was revealed. Then the system introduced gaming to a whole new market. In my opinion, Nintendo is less interested in competing head-to-head with Sony and Microsoft than they are expanding the market for games as well as our concept of gaming.
They could have continued the cycle of "one more time, but with a little more feeling (and processing power)" that fueled console development in years past. But instead of building a $400-$600 computer with a gamepad, they decided to expand the point of entry for gaming by selling a system with a lower price point and simpler controls. The proof of Nintendo's success is in the numbers behind the dollar signs AND that Microsoft and Sony both felt compelled to introduce motion gaming to their consoles in the form of Kinect and Move.
Don't get me wrong: Nintendo's headstrong ways has its advantages as well as its disadvantages. Their online infrastructure is, well, awful. I still <3 my PlayStation 3. And I still think the Vita is super-shiny (even with its silly name). But as a long-time gamer, it's nice to see console development expand beyond the "WE HAZ MORE MEGAHURTZ NAO" race it had become.
And of course Nintendo used footage from other systems to preview games like Darksiders II. The console won't even be out until next year (assuming it isn't delayed); something as complex as Darksiders II or Ninja Gaiden 3 won't be far enough along in development to show gameplay footage yet. The point was that titles previously only available on the 360 and PS3 will now be available on the Wii U as well.
I'm not saying it was the best way to drive the point home or that they shouldn't have tacked a disclaimer onto the footage, but I don't think it was a deliberate attempt at deception. If the "bird and tree" tech demo was any indication, the Wii U will be at least as powerful as the 360 and PS3. (It would be downright silly if it wasn't.)
In short: Competition and varying product choices are good things. Don't like the Wii U? Don't buy it. What irks me is the legions of 360 and PS3 fanboys who feel obligated to forecast the system's downfall hours after its reveal because it doesn't look like what they were expecting.
I'm interested to see what Nintendo does with the Wii U, how they improve on the Wii, and how they work to correct their past mistakes (like not giving enough love to third-party developers).
If nothing else, the Wii U is an interesting experiment. Not every experiment is a success--and there are varying levels of success as well--but it's good to know that there are companies out there trying something new instead of just sticking to something safe. (And yes, I'm talking about hardware development. I know that Nintendo keeps returning to the same franchises over and over again. It's not like they're the only ones. But there's a reason why Mario games still print money: They're fun.)
Remember that many people scoffed at the Wii as a fad when it was revealed. Then the system introduced gaming to a whole new market. In my opinion, Nintendo is less interested in competing head-to-head with Sony and Microsoft than they are expanding the market for games as well as our concept of gaming.
They could have continued the cycle of "one more time, but with a little more feeling (and processing power)" that fueled console development in years past. But instead of building a $400-$600 computer with a gamepad, they decided to expand the point of entry for gaming by selling a system with a lower price point and simpler controls. The proof of Nintendo's success is in the numbers behind the dollar signs AND that Microsoft and Sony both felt compelled to introduce motion gaming to their consoles in the form of Kinect and Move.
Don't get me wrong: Nintendo's headstrong ways has its advantages as well as its disadvantages. Their online infrastructure is, well, awful. I still <3 my PlayStation 3. And I still think the Vita is super-shiny (even with its silly name). But as a long-time gamer, it's nice to see console development expand beyond the "WE HAZ MORE MEGAHURTZ NAO" race it had become.
And of course Nintendo used footage from other systems to preview games like Darksiders II. The console won't even be out until next year (assuming it isn't delayed); something as complex as Darksiders II or Ninja Gaiden 3 won't be far enough along in development to show gameplay footage yet. The point was that titles previously only available on the 360 and PS3 will now be available on the Wii U as well.
I'm not saying it was the best way to drive the point home or that they shouldn't have tacked a disclaimer onto the footage, but I don't think it was a deliberate attempt at deception. If the "bird and tree" tech demo was any indication, the Wii U will be at least as powerful as the 360 and PS3. (It would be downright silly if it wasn't.)
In short: Competition and varying product choices are good things. Don't like the Wii U? Don't buy it. What irks me is the legions of 360 and PS3 fanboys who feel obligated to forecast the system's downfall hours after its reveal because it doesn't look like what they were expecting.
I'm interested to see what Nintendo does with the Wii U, how they improve on the Wii, and how they work to correct their past mistakes (like not giving enough love to third-party developers).
If nothing else, the Wii U is an interesting experiment. Not every experiment is a success--and there are varying levels of success as well--but it's good to know that there are companies out there trying something new instead of just sticking to something safe. (And yes, I'm talking about hardware development. I know that Nintendo keeps returning to the same franchises over and over again. It's not like they're the only ones. But there's a reason why Mario games still print money: They're fun.)
I don't think Nintendo can compete head to head with Sony and Microsoft which is why they are forced to innovate. For those who don't know, not Tek
, every new console requires a company going into debt a number of years before the console actually returns a profit. The more expensive your hardware costs to make the longer before you make a profit so bigger pockets always help. It's true Nintendo has always had the quirky peripheral itch but I think with Sony and Microsoft as competitors they are applying it more to their consoles. Sure they had the Virtual Boy and assorted add ons but most of their console/portable stuff, in the beginning Sega days, created the standard for the typical console graphics upgrade war.The worrisome part is Nintendo's add-ons have had more fail than win in the past IMO XD. Still the Wii was a hit so go Nintendo! We need you to combat those heartless mega corporations!
The thought occurs to me with such an elaborate controller why not just go full on and have the DS or a new portable work as a controller for a console (or do they already have that? I'm out of the console loop
.). I saw the ad for Sony's thing doing something similar already with playing a game on a handheld then swapping over to play the same game on a console when you get home.
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It's interesting you should mention R.O.B. because it represents Nintendo's remarkably effective "Trojan horse" effort at restoring America's previously demolished video game industry:
Source: The Little R.O.B.ot That Could
Nintendo used the exact same "Trojan horse" approach, albeit with very different hardware, with the Wii--and the gambit proved wildly successful. Millions of non-gamers who'd never take a second glance at a Xbox or PlayStation 2 bought the Wii, played Wii Sports with friends and family, and had fun.
The Wii U represents a similar move, though not as bold or disruptive. I don't know if one could still call tablet PCs an emerging technology, but consumers who might not pick up a gamepad may take notice of Nintendo's latest "crazy idea" and end up dropping money on a Wii U.
Nintendo's new console and new controller will definitely gain mass interest. The question now is if the execution will be as smooth as the Wii: Will the system and its controller be easy to pick up and play, will media outlets deliver positive reviews, and will the price point be low enough as to not discourage purchase?
"Core" gamers can throw as much nerdrage at Nintendo as they'd like. Nintendo isn't stupid. Like all companies, they make mistakes (such as the Virtual Boy), but they excel at the Blue Ocean strategy. It worked with the DS, it worked with the Wii, and I think it will work with the 3DS once they build some momentum with their games library. Time will tell if it will work with the Wii U as well.
Until then (and, if "core" gamers' response to the Wii is any indication, long after), haters gonna hate.
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Ooooh interesting I knew about the crash but did not know R.O.B.'s secret, sounds like the New Coke marketing thing. I basically got into video games after R.O.B. and the video game crash had past. Well maybe I got into games because of the crash, that Commodore 64 was dirt cheap .
I see we are thinking the same with your comment in the other thread about "blurring the lines between console and handheld and paving the way to a unified system". What do you think is the reason they don't go full on and do it now instead of the extra step of adding a tablet controller? I mean the current DS already has many of the Wii U controller's features right? Nintendo loves making new portable systems too .
Also people expected something to shake and flail around with and I can't see doing it with that controller, at least as much as the old one. Yeah that's stating the obvious as to why the stock dropped "it's different, I'm scared, oooooh" . Thing is there is nothing saying there isn't an extra part. The Wii mote had the nunchaku thing after all. Do you think Nintendo is banking completely on the tablet or has a separate component to accommodate customers who like to wildly flail too? Of course it uses the old controller at least, maybe they will just resell that?
Edit: To me people put to much stock into hardware, show me the games. Systems and peripherals fail because game developers either are not using each one's special features or don't know how to. It doesn't matter how bad or good your hardware is if there is nothing I want to play on it, that I have to play on that specific hardware, I have no reason to get it.
.I see we are thinking the same with your comment in the other thread about "blurring the lines between console and handheld and paving the way to a unified system". What do you think is the reason they don't go full on and do it now instead of the extra step of adding a tablet controller? I mean the current DS already has many of the Wii U controller's features right? Nintendo loves making new portable systems too
.Also people expected something to shake and flail around with and I can't see doing it with that controller, at least as much as the old one. Yeah that's stating the obvious as to why the stock dropped "it's different, I'm scared, oooooh"
. Thing is there is nothing saying there isn't an extra part. The Wii mote had the nunchaku thing after all. Do you think Nintendo is banking completely on the tablet or has a separate component to accommodate customers who like to wildly flail too? Of course it uses the old controller at least, maybe they will just resell that?Edit: To me people put to much stock into hardware, show me the games. Systems and peripherals fail because game developers either are not using each one's special features or don't know how to. It doesn't matter how bad or good your hardware is if there is nothing I want to play on it, that I have to play on that specific hardware, I have no reason to get it.
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Ah here are some answers to my questions.
Logos
Active Member
Yeah, I get where some people may be upset about this, but as they stated the final release date and the Wii U itself is not really finalized so they may add these. Either way, I think Nintendo is a good developer and a good console...although it seems their handhelds have been where a majority of their life stems from.
I don't think the market is ready for a unified device yet. And when I say "unified device," I mean a portable game device that hooks up to a television, outputs 1080p video, and accept input from multiple wireless controllers, and includes other features typically found in home consoles. The PSP showed the first hints of such a device, but my concept of a unified device would mean only one game library rather than two.
The dual game device (one handheld, one console) approach is likely more profitable and less risky as well, so the Big 3 (Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo) may decide to never develop a unified device, even if it's feasible (and the PS Vita shows that we're not far off from it being feasible). I think it's more likely that Sony and Nintendo will position their handhelds to function as peripherals for their home console counterpart as well as standalone portable units.
And it could be argued (with numbers to back up the claim) that Nintendo excels in the handheld gaming market.I mean the current DS already has many of the Wii U controller's features right? Nintendo loves making new portable systems too
Wii controllers will be compatible with the Wii U, so worn out "Wii flail" jokes may continue uninterrupted.
I think that's a factor, but here's another possible reason: The Wii U may not be disruptive enough. Let me explain.Yeah that's stating the obvious as to why the stock dropped "it's different, I'm scared, oooooh"
When Nintendo revealed the Wii, some were quick to point out that motion controls had been done before. I have a Dreamcast Fishing Rod which detects motion. I bought it long before the Wii was a glimmer in Nintendo's eyes. But motion controls were still uncommon and Nintendo brought that new control scheme to the masses.
Tablet PC technology is already gaining momentum. Most of the articles I've read about the Wii U controller compare it to an iPad. Tablet PCs are more common now than motion controls were when the Wii was revealed. Where it took Microsoft and Sony years to offer their own motion control alternatives, it may take far less time for Apple and other tablet manufacturers to offer functions and interactivity similar to the Wii U.
But let's never lose sight of a simple fact: Software sells hardware. Many of the complaints leveled against Nintendo and the Wii had nothing to do with the hardware. It was a lack of software that made effective use of that hardware. Nintendo started selling the MotionPlus attachment in mid-2009. How many games have made use of the enhanced functionality in the last 2 years? Only a very small handful, even among Nintendo's own titles. The hardware is solid, but the software support is lacking.
I think the new Wii Remotes (with MotionPlus built in) will do just fine for the "flail fans."
Exactly. Which is why I decided not to buy a PSP. The hardware looked solid, but I couldn't justify dropping coin on even a used PSP when there were so few PSP games that I was interested in.
Ah well that's much further along than I was talking about. When console tech is small enough to be portable they will find a way to glue two portables together and make a more powerful console
. I don't see them reaching the edge of processing power needed for games. Having photo real graphics will happen relatively soon but world size, interactivity, AI, etc. will always push for more powerful systems. A.I. and interactivity are at pitiful levels nowadays. I really wish developers would change their focus off graphics but since they aren't I'm 100% positive I could make a mind blowing game . Yeah that is what I was talking about with convergence. Miyamoto even eludes to it on the page I linked to saying...
Thing is I'm just not sure why they don't actually do it already instead of messing with a tablet. You could use the current DS or make a new DS with the missing functions of the tablet, which aren't many PLUS have the extra processing power of the DS. All I can think of is the old reason that games requiring separate peripherals/add ons reduce the player base and thus the profits. By providing an in-box tablet they insure everyone can play the games that require it. However I was under the impression the DS had a lot more market saturation than any gimmicky peripheral. I mean I'm pretty sure they are already going to be asking a lot of people to buy a Motionplus controller (unless they did not list it as packaged in the box) why not ask people to get a DS?
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Exactly.
In order to increase adoption, you must minimize the obstacles to adoption. Put another way: Make it as simple and inexpensive as possible (while still turning a profit or reducing loss through software sales) for a new customer to get into the game. It's a very simple principle, but one repeatedly ignored by console designers. That's why peripherals introduced in the middle of a console's life cycle rarely, if ever, receive widespread support by third-party developers. Examples: Wii MotionPlus, Nintendo 64 Expansion Pack, Sega CD, Sega 32X, etc. etc.
Because the DS has nowhere near the power in the tablet peripheral, the screens are much smaller, and it doesn't include a gyrometer or accelerometer.
And in 2011, the DS is woefully underpowered:
Source: Wikipedia
The massive install base of the DS is a testament to the strength of its library, but the 3DS, a significantly more powerful successor, was a long time coming. Nintendo dragged out the DS generation by designing multiple models (DS Lite, DSi, DSi XL), but the processing power is just plain puny compared to modern mobile devices (which makes Ghost Trick's fluid animation all the more impressive).
Well I get the gyro-meter and accelerometer but the Wii U tablet has no processing at all. Since images are transmitted directly from the console using a portable you would at least have some in addition to the console. I'd guess they would have to use the 3DS or make a new portable. Considering any TV can receive images putting tech equivalent of the tablet in a portable shouldn't raise the manufacturing cost that much, if the wi-fi isn't already capable of it. You'd probably have to put better analog sticks/buttons on it though. The tablet does have the larger screen but the 3DS has two lower quality screens so I guess it just depends on what you want to do with the screen(s).
Ooooh looks like a fun game
.
It is.Ooooh looks like a fun game
I played it all the way through and highly recommend it.
DannyMeister
Tribe of Judah Unreal Tournament 3 Server Operator
This is way late in the conversation, but I'll bring it back up anyways...
I really hate that the Virtual Boy was a "mistake", "failure", etc. The Virtual Boy appealed to me immensely and is still the best 3d gaming experience I've had to date! I loved it so much! I just wanted more games for it! Maybe I'll get my hands on a 3ds sometime for a better comparison, but from what I saw in the store display while the effect was nice, it didn't have nearly the depth you could achieve with the Virtual Boy. Of course, most people can't live without the full color :\
RIP, Virtual Boy. You don't deserve your reputation
I really hate that the Virtual Boy was a "mistake", "failure", etc. The Virtual Boy appealed to me immensely and is still the best 3d gaming experience I've had to date! I loved it so much! I just wanted more games for it! Maybe I'll get my hands on a 3ds sometime for a better comparison, but from what I saw in the store display while the effect was nice, it didn't have nearly the depth you could achieve with the Virtual Boy. Of course, most people can't live without the full color :\
RIP, Virtual Boy. You don't deserve your reputation
I think this may be the kindest review of the Virtual Boy I've ever read.I really hate that the Virtual Boy was a "mistake", "failure", etc. The Virtual Boy appealed to me immensely and is still the best 3d gaming experience I've had to date! I loved it so much! I just wanted more games for it! Maybe I'll get my hands on a 3ds sometime for a better comparison, but from what I saw in the store display while the effect was nice, it didn't have nearly the depth you could achieve with the Virtual Boy. Of course, most people can't live without the full color :\
RIP, Virtual Boy. You don't deserve your reputation
I may have been a bit ham-fisted in calling the Virtual Boy a "mistake." It would have been more precise to call it a "consumer desire/technology design mismatch" or some equivalent sales and marketing term. Releasing the product to the mass market and hoping for mass adoption, especially given the launch price point and the tendency to give users headaches, was a poor decision on Nintendo's part.
While we're on the topic, I'd like to clear up a common misconception about the Virtual Boy as it relates to Gunpei Yokoi, widely regarded as the father of handheld gaming:
Source: The Nintendo Wiki
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