Messages

1251

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Nintendo Revolution, Discuss it here!

« on: August 27, 2004, 04:39:47 PM »

I have to hand it to Nintendo.  The new Pikmin 2 comercial is exactly what I was wanting them to do.  I mean exactly.  They have a bunch of dwarves in pikmin suits running through the streets of a city repeatedly saying the same thing.  They get a hot dog and take it back to thier master who says "I wanted mustard," and his friend then adds, "Make that two."  Me and my roomates thought it was hillarious.  

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:Nintendo Revolution, Discuss it here!

« on: August 23, 2004, 11:58:21 AM »

Actually I was suggesting that Nintendo put some humor into their commercials.  I never said I thought Nintendo is any good at doing humor.  The original SSB commercial and the Who are you Mario 3 commercial have been the only decent advertising to come from Nintendo in a long time.  Sony has an advantage in that they have a crackpot group of marketers that generally make entertaining commercials (except the recent Sly 2 ad).  Nintendo sometimes strikes me as having tunnel vision when it comes to making games; they just seem blind to cool factor and marketabilty.

Nintendo still can't figure out that they must sell a lifestyle with their product.  There is rarely any personality in their commercials.  Usually the ads fail because they are so serious and full of themselves that there is no experiencial or emotional association made with the product or its ad.  Lightheartedness is the way to make people laugh.  When you can laugh at yourself people will laugh with you.  When someone produces something that is overly serious the seriousness flies out the window and it is only asking to be made fun of or even worse ignored.  Harely Davidson for example saw its brand take off when the whole biker outlaw image came about.  

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:Nintendo Revolution, Discuss it here!

« on: August 19, 2004, 04:05:49 PM »

The advertising campaign should feature humor similar to that found on adult swim on Cartoon Network.  For example having people in Nintendo character suits like Disney world, but have them running down the street running over people screaming viva la revolution coupled with a moment of silly silence afterwards before plugging the product.  

A snazy catch fraise is needed.  Join the Revolution.  Viva la Revolution.  Its a Revolution.  Are you N the Revolution?  Get N the Revolution.  The Revolution is here.  The Revolution is coming.  Revolt, the Revolution is here.

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:Nintendo Revolution, Discuss it here!

« on: August 19, 2004, 01:51:19 PM »

The point of using one of these new technologies such as the multiple mouse ball controller, dual flight stick, camera, and/or free moving gyration is to simplify gaming.  With any of these technologies one nolonger has to worry about having to use all the buttons, dpad, and joysticks to play a game.  Many games would nolonger require nothing more than an analog stick and a jump button because the camera work would be controlled by your arm instead of your thumb.  

You will now be able to aim with both hands independtly or together (one hand controlling camera view while another controls aiming).  

For example you would be able to move Samus forward/back and strafe left/right with one joystick while you control the camera with your left hand.  You would aim with your right hand.  You could aim, look, and move all at once.  Then you use the face buttons for other functions like jumping, missles, ball, etc.  The right trigger would be used for firing and the mouse wheels used for switching weapons or visors.  The left trigger would be used for the grappling beam.  When you activate the grappling beam your aiming becomes soley controlled by your right arm (you could just use the right arm the whole time for camera and aiming but when they are seperated it gives you two cross hairs like a riffle to line up creating a much better aiming system than just the right arm alone).  I would make the grappling beam attach to any object/ledge/enemy so it is something that can be used all of the time.  You could throw something at an enemy with it or throw an enemy.  You could use it to grab powerups instead of using the arm cannon's charge to pull in powerups.  Of course if you hold the left trigger with the double click (just like you can charge your arm cannon) the grappling beam will take you to object you have grabbed granted the object will hold your outrageous weight.  

Also don't forget that I mentioned taking the dpad away for good and replacing it with another set of face buttons.  With this setup you would still have four face buttons free and an analog stick to do whatever you wanted.  For example both analog sticks could control the movement of Samus just the same so you could switch sides easily to access the second set of face buttons without loosing any functions at all.  Both sides for example could have a jump button, but one side has functions like; punch, kick, and flip.  The other side could have jump, map, ball, and missles.  

1255

Nintendo Gaming / RE:specualtion on how newly anounced games will use DS features

« on: August 19, 2004, 12:40:27 PM »

I think the second screen could be used for map, menus, and spells.  I like the ideas about speaking passwords and spells; and marking walls with different colors or bloods for spells would be awesome.  One could, find a spell, take a group of ingredients, have them made into a potion, and then use them in the spell that requires a drawing.

I feel that a Transalvania world map would work best in a three quarters view like Zelda; while the Castle itself would work best in sidescrolling.  

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:Nintendo Revolution, Discuss it here!

« on: August 19, 2004, 12:29:21 PM »

I totally forgot about the microphone technology.  Doesn't the DS have a mic?  I can definetly see nearly every game using mics in the future.  The mic can take what you say and change it to the character's voice.  It would make communicating in games a real time thing.  We wouldn't need cutscenes to progress the story of the game because we would be able to move the story along ourselves.  

Sega has been working on technology to translate the tone of your voice into facial expressions on the character's face.  I wonder if Nintendo is planning on using the DS for all microphone, camera, and touch screen control on the revolution.

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:Nintendo Revolution, Discuss it here!

« on: August 19, 2004, 12:16:26 PM »

The IGN article talks about a bunch of cool ideas.  I hadn't thought about changing the camera to infra red.  I have been thinking the best way to do VR economically is with three wireless cameras that measure the movement of reflectors on the "handles." If one camera with infra red abilities can see depth then I guess that is the better way to go.  Of course I still don't know how you can do multiplayer with one built in camera and why they would aslo use gyration technology in conjunction with a camera.

I figured it would be one or the other.  Not both.  I assume the camera will be able to film in a variety of modes.  

We still need all of the regular controller functions and keys on the handles.  I'm talking two analog sticks, two sets of face buttons (no more need for a dpad), triggers, shoulder buttons and one new button I think would help out alot.  I think a mouse wheel could be placed beyond the trigger on each side.  That would mean the wheel wouldn't be below or above the trigger but just beyond it so you only have to outstretch your finger to hit it and scroll through weapons and visors.  

Nintendo is trying to make gaming itself fun again.  The question is are they trying to keep game design from getting in the way of gameplay or are they trying to keep gameplay from getting in the way of game design.  I like to think that in a game the two can coexist equally.

I had an idea myself for the Revolution that made much of it possible but also quite cheap.  Without any camera at all one could use two wireless mouse/controllers with all of the functions I listed above for the handles.  The mouses could be set up with two or three lasers each.  This would give them more functionality because you would be able to spin the mouse and your sword on screen would tilt.  

If Nintendo does use the handle idea then what will MS and Sony do with their systems.  I think MS and Sony will spread themselves to thinly giving thier consoles a lack of focus.  The PS3 could end up with a camera, tivo, dvd, cd, mp3, and game playing abilities.  There wouldn't be much room in the price for Sony to compete with Nintendo's revolutionary controllers using gyration technology.  MS will probably use cameras and dual flight sticks.  But Nintendo could have a technological advantage.  Sony is so focused on having graphics that are realistic that they have forgotten about realistic gameplay.  With VR type controls we won't have to be reduced to scavenger hunt games anymore because just controlling a platformer will be fun again.

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:The future of gaming...should it be "innovative"?

« on: July 27, 2004, 09:07:45 PM »

I've been thinking that Nintendo better deliver with their Revolution.  I like the idea of blatently labeling the hardware revolution to get the point across clearly but I'm afraid that if they make this promise of revolution and don't deliver then Nintendo will be left with only the handheld market to keep them afloat.  I prefer the name N5 coupled with good advertising to get the "revolution" sale across.  I want more than graphics next gen and that doesn't mean I want another computer/dvd/mp3/cd player.  If they don't give us new ways of controlling our games next gen then what is the point of changing.  

I assume they will include at least one camera (possibly wireless) with the console.  But each camera can only track two dimensions of space.  So maybe two or three cameras is what is needed.  I don't think they will go all out with a vr helmet featuring depth perception, but you never know.  As long as they don't underwhelm me with some gimmicky giant sensor pad for games like DDR or Donkey Konga everything will be okay.  I also expect along with the wireless camera two wirless controller prongs with all our traditional digital and analog buttons we've come to expect on our controllers.  I wouldn't waste my time if I were Nintendo with a power glove because the controllers are supposed to offer the functionality of translating to the game what our fingers are doing.  

Not all games will be affected by Revolution.  Platforming games for example don't require cameras.  Any game with combat though like Zelda, Metroid, and Street Fighter will benefit from the simplified straight forward combat control available with cameras.  I heard about cameras being able to track head movements using a type of reflector tab giving you straight forward camera control while you keep your eyes on the tv screen.  

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:WTF is Ninty Doing?!

« on: July 23, 2004, 03:21:25 PM »

EGM says MS is already shiping kits and Sony is aiming at an 06 release.  

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:Best Way to Control Touch Screen

« on: May 15, 2004, 06:45:11 PM »

GreyPlague that is exactly what me and my cousing were talking about the other night.  I want to be able to hold the controler with both hands and switch imediatly between the touch screen and the face buttons.  Also I like being able to use the right shoulder button.

The problem though is that using the face buttons will then become difficult because you have a piece of plastic around your thumb.  

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:REALISTIC ZELDA TRAILER!!!

« on: May 12, 2004, 10:59:46 AM »

I wonder if it will be a large continent or a whole world.

I can see where the WW has had its affects here with the wonderful lighting and color.  The shot with the big red sun over the hilltop looked awesome.

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:Xbox2 w/ removable hard drive/mp3 player

« on: April 24, 2004, 07:35:09 PM »

How much of Apple does MS own?

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:Silicon Knights and Nintendo break up

« on: April 20, 2004, 10:06:17 PM »

This news sucks.  On the bright side I know that this is what will lead to the rise of the Knights as strong force within the industry.  

1264

TalkBack / RE:Paper Mario 2 on the Way

« on: April 01, 2004, 02:32:21 PM »

I've been waiting for a fully 3d cel shaded Paper Mario SEQUEL for a long time.  I've been sickened lately by rummors that it might just be a ramake further solidifying GC's reputation of a game collector's system.

I don't mind that the view maybe similar to the original, but I would prefer cel shading to the exact same paper technique.  I thought cel shading was mostly inspired by Paper Mario's look.

Unfortunately for us they took the paper gimick one step too far.  Paper airplanes?  What's the boss?  King Kutter?  The Evil Scisors?  The Big Book of Matches?

At least fire balls will seem like a real threat in this Mario game.  Joking aside though, you guys are right.  Why do they do this with every idea they come up with.  They brainstorm behind a ninety foot tall bullet proof wall for three years until they come up with an idea that has nothing to do with Mairo or Zelda and then tack it on like we won't notice that it could have been an original game with real focus on back packs, or oragami, or sailing the open seas.  

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:New NDS article over at IGN: must read!

« on: March 24, 2004, 09:11:45 AM »

So far everything we know about the DS is a gimick; but the touch screen aspect may be what makes the gimick worth something.  

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:A Mario and Sonic adventure...

« on: March 24, 2004, 09:09:45 AM »

The Mario/ Sonic RPG/Adventure/Platformer has been rumored for a long time.  It would be easy to combine the two franchises.  Make the game based on worlds where you access platforming levels with multiple paths that can be taken advantage of by either Mario, Luigi, Sonic, or Knuckles as far as running and jumping.  Use the traditional Mario Bros powerups in conjunction with alternate affects on Sonic and Knuckles.  I would suggest Yoshi be Mario's way of getting through Sonic's paths which may require speed.  I would assume you level up by beating platforming levels so there should be a lot of them.  The worlds could be accessed through warp pipes between Mushroom Kingdom, Sonic's world, and our world.  Maybe even Donkey Kong could be hidden as a character that can climb in the way that Knuckles does.  

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Nintendo Gaming / Game medium: CDs, cartridges, and the future.

« on: March 24, 2004, 05:59:32 AM »

We all know how cartridges were replaced by cds, but maybe now the cartridges or at least their decendents are ready for a comeback.  The six reasons for this are durability, pirating, loading, rewritability, increased storage space, and lower production costs in comparison to ten years ago.  I read somewhere about the DS using cards of some sort and MS using SD cards for memory next gen.  Maybe carts have gotten good enough now that we may be missing out on new revolution in gaming.  The rewrtability of a cartridge could change everything once again.  Everyone up until know has been willing to buy memory cards for their cd games that can't be saved upon.  Cutting this middle man of software out would be great.  Obviously harddrives are not the answer as MS themselves are not going to have one in X2.  I'm a fan of the harddrive; especially in online games, but if each game unit can double as its own memory card then we have no problem at all as long as there is room for things such as level creation, recorded events, leveling, online stats, budy lists, and general saves.  People just don't realize the conveniances that can be gained by going to some form of cartridge.  

I'm not sure people would be accepting of it at first since they all love their slow fragile cds and dvds.  If the cost of development has gone down considerably then why not go back to the carts?  Plus getting rid of the whole memory card issue will save Nintendo from making anymore cards with unsufficient amounts of space to save a season on a huge franchise launch title like Madden.

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:How would a shooter work?

« on: March 24, 2004, 05:43:09 AM »

Maybe the future solution will be glasses that project lasers before the eye that don't create strain or require large hardware.  The lasers could potentially be used at that small scale to create holograms that seem as large as an IMAX theater screen.  

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:New NDS article over at IGN: must read!

« on: March 24, 2004, 05:37:14 AM »

I think the whole touch screen idea is good, but it would have been cheaper to just put a touch pad similar to a laptop between the dpad and face buttons and not a fully functional second lcd.  The good thing about the touch screen is that you can see what you are touching.  The whole point is to simulate the mouse.  Still I think we could have gotten by with just one screen if this touchscreen is the real deal.  A touch pad like a laptop would have worked just as easily with one screen; all we need is the same start button we've been hiting for 15 years for access to menus and maps.

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:How would a shooter work?

« on: March 20, 2004, 10:08:35 AM »

You're right, the eye strain is an issue that has to be dealt with.  I'm hoping that the newly advanced LCDs on the market can take away some of the headaches that came with VB.  

It is rather simple in getting a person to see the two screens as one image.  Each view is only slightly different from the other.  When looking at each by themselves you would barely be able to tell the two views apart.  The catch is that when playing, each eye would only see one screen.  The brain takes the two images and puts them together just as if you were really seeing two perspectives with your two seperate eyes.  

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:new speculation on DS i found at egm

« on: March 20, 2004, 10:00:25 AM »

In the original announcement they said that developers could use the two screens in conjunction to create one screen.  This imediatly brought up the question of why didn't they just make one wide screen?  Thus the only logical explanation is that it would have to be horizontal to be functional.  How would you even use two seperate screens (that are also vertically alligned) as one unless you did some vr gogle setup.  It is possible that the screens will be double functional, but the only way to use them in a vr situation with them alligned vertically would be to have them set up like the Ngage's one screen.  This would mean two tall screens rather than two wide screens in any game that wouldn't use them as gogles.


I think the specualtive designs are pretty close to what Nintendo is aiming at; especially if it doesn't use vr technology.

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:new speculation on DS i found at egm

« on: March 18, 2004, 12:08:41 PM »

How can a developer use the vertical scenerio to create a single view?  I'm pretty sure that anyone with an Ngage will tell you that one tall perspective is not always the best view to have.  I've seen the vertical designs in EGM and on the net.  Most likely those designs are nearly exactly the same as the actual device.

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:How would a shooter work?

« on: March 15, 2004, 08:51:54 PM »

I was being funny in that post.  I don't know why people take every remark I make as some schemed attack on Nintendo fans.

For you to see in 3d you must have two views.  One view for each eye.  You can do this with a single screen and accesory glasses that seperate the single projected image into two views.  Without the glasses the screen would look out of focus or in double vision.  With the prospect of using two lcds one could have the screens placed at a certain distance from the eyes and supplying each eye with its own view of the game.  Your brain puts the two images together in just the same way as if you saw a real object in the real world with two slightly different vantage points that translate into depth perception.  Depth perception is what makes 3d games difficult.  With true illusionistic 3d technologies the gamers can judge distances better and simply get into the games more.  Imagine wasps flying into your eyes on Metroid.

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:"The Trouble With Nintendo"

« on: March 15, 2004, 08:44:30 PM »

"There seems to be a conflict between what Nintendo wants to do stylistically and what they must do to make their games appealing to older gamers, and thus become a serious contender in the console race."

That sentence says it all.  Nintendo is in need of an eye for marketability.  I'm not saying that I beieve that Metroid, Zelda, or Mario Sunshine were badly designed games.  I'm saying that Nintendo needs to focus their artistic expressions to more mainstreme desires; especially since they continually say that they must make their games easier at the cost of the hardcore fan so that they can attract mainstreme gamers.

Also in the article he mentions Rare, but fails to realize that Rare's worth had dwindled.

On another note I would like to say that I don't have enough time to worry about my gramatical correctness.  

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:Silocon Knights + Konomi = Nintendo's revival?

« on: March 15, 2004, 01:25:23 PM »

I would buy a Castlevania by SK.  Of course Dennis has been hinting at other mature games lately like Zelda and Kid Iccarus.  As long as it isn't a remake of any game; I'll probably be happy with the decisions that SK makes.