Messages

7626

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Nintendo's Online Network [Armchair CEO Time]

« on: June 11, 2011, 08:28:49 AM »

Of course Valve doesn't have the staff to build an online platform for another company. They would just hire more staff. That's part of what Nintendo would be paying for. Additionally, Nintendo is paying for access to Valve's patents and code. Nintendo COULD hire all the people to do this themselves for scratch but WHY? Similarly, Nintendo could have hired a Research and Development team to make their own optical disc format. It's not like any of these things are a secret. The way these things work is available to anyone who wants to learn how. However, Nintendo runs the risk of violating patents and then there are lawsuits and all that other crap that any company would love to avoid. That's why Nintendo deals with Panasonic. That's why Nintendo should deal with Valve.

Valve has their own software and runs their own servers. They clearly know what they're doing and have years of experience. Nintendo is already late to the race but they would effectively be able to jump in the middle of the track instead of beginning from the starting line.

7627

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Wii U

« on: June 11, 2011, 01:27:10 AM »

That was the impression I got when John Riccitiello for EA started talking at Nintendo's press conference. Unless Valve develops this for Nintendo, we're looking at an online platform that is at best comparable to Xbox Live but most likely much worse. If any other company was anywhere near as capable as Valve in this area, Steam wouldn't be so far ahead of the pack. Seriously, no one else is even close.

7628

TalkBack / Re: Is the Name Really That Bad?

« on: June 10, 2011, 11:20:53 PM »

Did Nintendo Just Screw Up the Launch of Wii U?

But when Wii U – the official name of the new Nintendo machine – made its debut in Los Angeles this morning, the Mario maker left more questions than answers, some of which the company didn’t intend for us to ask:

“Is this a new controller for the old Wii?”

“Do I have to purchase a Wii to use Wii U?”

One could argue that Forbes isn't a gaming news outlet, but that's exactly the point. Gamers know the difference, non-gamers may not.

7629

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Nintendo's Online Network [Armchair CEO Time]

« on: June 10, 2011, 11:10:07 PM »

That's what I thought at first, but then there are people like Ian that may have a very different opinion of what Nintendo should do.

THEIR OPINIONS DON'T MATTER BECAUSE THEY ARE WRONG IN THIS VERY SPECIFIC CASE.

And maybe people want to discuss what Nintendo should do in the case that Nintendo doesn't take the easy out and have Valve win the online game for them.

There's only one answer to that: Completely copy Steam feature for feature. Any other suggestion is describing something that is inferior to what is widely accepted as the best in the business. There's no point in that.

The only thing I would add is that a Nintendo online platform powered by Steam be linked to Club Nintendo, unless of course, Club Nintendo was rendered obsolete by having its function integrated into the platform.

7630

TalkBack / Re: Is the Name Really That Bad?

« on: June 10, 2011, 10:56:44 PM »

No one said otherwise.

That's not what I was getting at. You mentioned that Nintendo has a branding strategy. I agree. Clearly, they do. The problem is that strategy has so far backfired with WiiU. Many people think it's a controller for the Wii, not a new console. There's a good chance people still aren't going to know the difference a year from now (because people are dumb). That strategy has not backfired with with 3DS because....

Yeeeaaaa, but that's still not really how branding works.

It is when you name your products "NintendoDS" and "Nintendo3DS." Apple doesn't call their products "Apple iMac" or "Apple iPhone." Nintendo refers to each portable by their full name. The word "Nintendo" is the brand or at least part of it.

Well, we're having this conversation because the current name is stupid =P Not because it has "Wii" in it.

It's quite pertinent. The question posed in the topic title is "Is the Name Really That Bad?" I'm arguing that the name is bad because "WiiU" is confusing to a lot of people, not because it sounds stupid. Nintendo could have picked a different but still stupid sounding name which doesn't confuse people. For example, Nintendo could have named it [insert practically any name that doesn't include the word "Wii"] which may sound stupid in a number of ways, but it's not confusing because it's a completely different name. I just used "Nintendo[something]" as the example because, as previously stated, "Nintendo" is a recognizable brand and thus, you'd have a name that is both recognizable and completely different.

7631

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Nintendo's Online Network [Armchair CEO Time]

« on: June 10, 2011, 10:08:23 PM »

This doesn't require an entire discussion, let alone a separate topic. You answered your own question.

So why doesn't someone just go tell Nintendo that we want Valve to handle their online by bringing Steamworks to WiiU. There will not be a single person disappointed, neither 3rd party or gamer by that decision.

This. This is it. Xbox Live is the gold standard for consoles. Steam is the gold standard for any online gaming platform and honestly, dominates Xbox Live and its mother in every way. End of discussion. Thank you for playing, sir. You've been great.

7632

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Naming the WiiU Controller

« on: June 10, 2011, 10:02:49 PM »

Part of me wants to name it "Gameboy" for nostalgia's sake, but that would confuse everyone. I chose other since I didn't like the options. I'll get back to you on the name. uCon just reminds me of the University of Connecticut.

7633

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Wii U the next Dreamcast?

« on: June 10, 2011, 04:06:24 PM »

That's not true. The Wii is 2 Gamecubes duct taped together. /old joke

7634

TalkBack / Re: Square Enix Considering Final Fantasy for the Wii U

« on: June 10, 2011, 03:58:35 PM »

Like how, for example, FFXII basically plays itself so you're mostly just steering your character to the next cutscene?

7635

General Gaming / Re: PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) - previously known as NGP

« on: June 10, 2011, 03:41:21 PM »

Nintendo battled shortages and the lack of compelling software. It's best game was a port of Super Mario 64 which oddly enough still trumps 3DS'sesses dearth of titles. For early adopters, $150 is an easier pill to swallow than $250.

And I disagree. $150 is absolutely a mass market price because DS, particularly Lite, sold very well at that price for years. I believe that was cheaper than the original Gameboy's price of entry. DSi/XL sold reasonably well at sub-$200. Every other handheld that sold above that, including and especially PSP, didn't perform that well at that price point.

7636

TalkBack / Re: Is the Name Really That Bad?

« on: June 10, 2011, 03:29:01 PM »

Of course, but point is, people are having identity issues with WiiU while the same can't be said of 3DS. "Wii" is a recognizable brand but "Nintendo" is just as if not more recognizable. That said, had Nintendo called Project Cafe "Nintendo[something]" and not "Wii[something]" we wouldn't be having this conversation right now.

7637

TalkBack / Re: Iwata Confused by Nintendo's Drop in Stock Following Wii U Announcement

« on: June 10, 2011, 03:03:34 PM »

I don't know why Nintendo thought marketing a purple console was a good idea. That said, if you removed the handle of the black or platinum Gamecube, it's actually a pretty normal looking console and "Gamecube" is a totally appropriate name because the console is, in fact, cube-like in shape and it played games. Obvious name is obvious.

On a related note, I almost never used the handle when moving my Gamecube because I was so used to consoles NOT having handles. Who would have ever thought? I have small hands and was still able to grip the control comfortably with one hand. Unnecessary handle is unnecessary. So much for THAT idea, Nintendo.

7638

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Wii U

« on: June 10, 2011, 01:34:07 PM »

I think there's a sizable amount of core Wii owners who have not purchased PS3 or 360. WiiU is right up their alley and they'll buy the cross-platform 3rd party games at launch.

I'm still not quite sure why the lack of announced 1st party WiiU titles is so baffling to people. Hardware unveilings generally do not have any games far enough to show let alone be playable. If Nintendo said, "We're developing Mario and Zelda for WiiU," would that really have been the Mentos freshmaker for your mind? Is that SO much more reassuring than the natural assumption that Nintendo is ALWAYS working on new games, namely Mario and Zelda because they are, in fact, a games developer? WiiU is an entire year away. Anyone who's like "Why would I buy this? There are no games," needs the shut the hell up. Nintendo WILL announce titles in due time so please simmer the F down and wash the sand out of your vaginas. Cheezus Motherfucking Christ...

[This post was sponsored by frustration and Mentos, the freshmaker]

7639

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Wii U

« on: June 10, 2011, 12:40:11 PM »

What exclusives? Big 3rd parties generally don't make exclusive titles anymore unless console manufacturers pay for exclusivity and even then, it's usually timed exclusivity or DLC. Nintendo needs a strong enough 3rd party lineup to keep their fans from jumping ship or also buying their competition's machines because the vast majority of exclusives are now 1st party titles.

7640

TalkBack / Re: Square Enix Considering Final Fantasy for the Wii U

« on: June 10, 2011, 12:29:23 PM »

What? Final Fantasy XIII got great reviews.

7641

TalkBack / Re: Square Enix Considering Final Fantasy for the Wii U

« on: June 10, 2011, 11:51:39 AM »

Final Fantasy is already on 360. Not terribly surprised by this.

7642

TalkBack / Re: Iwata Confused by Nintendo's Drop in Stock Following Wii U Announcement

« on: June 10, 2011, 11:34:50 AM »

This is actually great news disguised as bad news. It keeps Nintendo on their toes, allows them to reevaluate what is and is not working and adjust accordingly. Universal or near-universal praise leads to mistakes due to complacency. WiiU has a few issues Nintendo needs to address and iron out. This sends the message loud and clear so, we'll see how Nintendo reacts. My hope is that they'll actually listen.

For consumers, core or casual, this is only a good thing since we'll get the best product possible in the end. I think back to E3 2010 and all the buzz 3DS got. What did we get? Nintendo bumped the price up and failed to address issues like battery life and launch lineup. It's one thing to increase the price based on public reception; it's another to admit you did so for that reason. That's a special kind of hubris that hopefully will not be repeated with WiiU.

7643

TalkBack / Re: Is the Name Really That Bad?

« on: June 10, 2011, 09:06:24 AM »

@NinSage - I would argue that "Wii" didn't necessarily need to be kept. "Wii" is a recognizable brand. Then again, so is "Nintendo." One thing I noticed in the E3 press conference was that Iwata and Reggie always referred to DS/3DS as "NintendoDS" and "Nintendo3DS" respectively. The word "Nintendo" is even part of the logo with the "o" representing the top screen. Public perception of the company and the name "Nintendo" has changed with each new hardware cycle and it's never been stronger than it has been this past generation in both the handheld and console market. Nintendo is viewed as the company that embracing this "games for everyone" mentality.

That said, using Nintendo's own logic, the name could have easily been "Nintendo[something]" (even NintendoU which also sounds lame but not the same harder to pronounce, Engrish kind of lame as WiiU) and kept everything that people have come to expect from the "Nintendo" brand intact.

7644

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Wii U the next Dreamcast?

« on: June 10, 2011, 08:45:18 AM »

I'm in the specs aren't final camp but they will be by year's end at the latest because Nintendo has to start manufacturing WiiU at some point and that begins a few months before launch. We know WiiU is at least as powerful as current HD consoles so preliminary dev kits only need to be that powerful for 3rd parties since they're straight porting over the first batch of games, besides some inevitable tablet controller additions.

I don't think Nintendo is hiding the specs, per se. They just don't have them and I would think someone would have leaked final specs if they were available. Nothing on WiiU is currently finalized, not even the controller.

7645

TalkBack / Re: Is the Name Really That Bad?

« on: June 09, 2011, 10:24:17 PM »

I'm confused. So if the Wii didn't accomplish that goal that means they would have to change their strategy, hence the tablet controller. And wouldn't that mean Nintendo is doing something different even if the goal remains the same? Using that logic, if they're doing something different, why should they stick with a name that was part of a strategy that failed? That would be counterproductive. Right? Ugh, my head hurts.........

7646

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Wii U Price and Release Date Guess Thread

« on: June 09, 2011, 09:56:34 PM »

Then why bother showing it at all if they can't show anything of substance? That's what I don't understand, it felt like Nintendo weren't actually ready to show the system yet since all they had were demos that don't look like they will end up as actual games. But I guess they didn't have much choice, it was going to get leaked eventually by developers (and pretty much did before E3) so I guess Nintendo wanted to make sure they were the ones to officially unveil it. And I s'pose it's also so people know a new system is coming. It doesn't make sense to me, but such is life.

Oh right, this thread is about the release date. Even though I'm sticking with my prediction of November, I hope you're right about June. That way I'd be able to see the games sooner and find out if the system is of any value. June might actually be a good time if they can manage it; they could show off all the games at E3, then say "And it's all in stores next week!"

Thinking back to some previous hardware announcements/unveilings, how many of them showed actual games? Gamecube had that demo reel at Spaceworld 2000. None of those were real games, at least not when showed. I don't remember if any of them were playable though I don't believe they were. The only thing I remember of the PS2 unveiling was Sony showing off the CG dance scene from Final Fantasy VIII and claiming that their GPU could produce games that looks anything like that (not even close). PS3 showed CG of Killzone 2 (the final product looked good, but not that good) and a remade intro of Final Fantasy VII.

The WiiU announcement was pretty standard affair. I guess that's why I wasn't upset about it. Sure, it would have been awesome to see some real games, but I wasn't expecting them to.

7647

TalkBack / Re: My Thoughts: Two Wii U Controllers at Once Possible?

« on: June 09, 2011, 09:21:21 PM »

What if, in 2005, when Nintendo announced the Wii remote, they also said that only one remote per console was possible? How pissed off would people have been? Think of how that would have changed the landscape of the Wii and the last 4 and a half years of this console cycle. Sure, you can play Wii Sports by passing around 1 remote, but that's fucking lame and annoying.

7648

TalkBack / Re: Is the Name Really That Bad?

« on: June 09, 2011, 09:14:34 PM »

Nintendo didn't drop the Game Boy brand after only one generation. It wasn't until they created a handheld that attempted something completely different from what the Game Boy brand was all about that they decided to leave the name behind and create a whole new brand. The Wii U may be a new system, but it is still building on the Wii and Wii controllers are a primary input for it, or at least are for multiplayer games.

One could argue that WiiU is completely different by the definition you provided of Gameboy to DS. A the same time, one could argue that DS was just building on the Gameboy with the touch screen and microphone. Point being, it's too difficult to quantify the effect the changes had to each piece of hardware.

With keeping the Wii brand, Wii 2 would have been the safest bet and even that isn't idiot-proof (mostly because nothing is). Personally, I don't think Wii 2 is a better sounding name than WiiU. It's not about the name sounding stupid; it's about the name defining something.

7649

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Wii U Price and Release Date Guess Thread

« on: June 09, 2011, 09:04:27 PM »

Why didn't they show Donkey Kong Country Returns before E3 last year? It was released like 6 months later. I'm sure they have their reasons. It's possible that the hardware isn't finalized. It's possible that they're trying to deter Sony and Microsoft from ganking their ideas for as long as they can. Nintendo did have demonstrations of what the controller can do. In some cases, I can see why they didn't show actual games. Nintendo had a Twilight Princess inspired HD Zelda boss fight demo and you could switch from night to day, you could stream the directly to the controller etc. Cool stuff. It looked oh-my-gawd! However, they had a Zelda game to show for the Wii and they want that to be the focus.

I would have liked to have seen some real titles, but with the console launching in like a year, does it even matter at this point? Nintendo showed what the controller can do and I was pretty happy with that. I expect to see more around TGS or if Nintendo holds their own conference etc.

7650

TalkBack / Re: Is the Name Really That Bad?

« on: June 09, 2011, 08:49:15 PM »

The brand confusion problems with WiiU still apply to Super Wii. What the **** is a "Super Wii?" Think about the Motion Plus/Wii Remote Plus. These adjectives like "super" or "plus" don't necessarily make you think of something separate. They make you think of something additional, as in for the Wii instead of newer than the Wii or the next Wii.

You understand what "Super Wii" means because you play videogames. My neighbor who doesn't play videogames has no idea what that means and that's why naming it WiiU or Super Wii or Wii HD is potentially a problem. Not sure I'm explaining this well, but I tried.