Topic: The OFFICIAL Big N rumor thread *bring your own salt*

[Stogi]

Ok, I understand what you are saying, but I don't think you understand me. It's not necessarily the weight. I do think it'll be pretty light. I'm talking about the balance.

Just because you may have the battery in the middle or the weight centered towards the bottom does not make it easier to hold than a taller, skinnier version.

Here is a shitty example of what I am talking about:



Now imagine that but more like the mock up. It's pretty easy to envision how much more comfortable it'll be to use both the controller and the touchscreen simply because of balance.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I know what you are saying but the rumors have it pegged as a tablet-like design.

IGN says it has Dreamcast like handles on the back

http://i52.tinypic.com/szto90.jpg

Based on the rumors, that mock-up seemed perfect from a design aspect and would appeal to the iPad crowd, which is what I assume Nintendo wants to do. A standard controller with a screen attached to the top not only looks uninspired but intimidates the same crowd Nintendo just attracted with the Wii and the crowd they hope to draw from the Apple iProducts.

Besides, imagine how much more potential there is with the mock I posted especially when placed in a charging dock on your livingroom table. Wii compatibility through built in IR ports. Video chat through camera. Message center/Internet Browser with touch screen. and that's all while not even holding the controller.

[Stogi]

Don't get me wrong, I think it's slick. It just doesn't seem comfortable for touch screen gaming.

Honestly, what I have in mind is almost like an ultra sleek version of the OG Gameboy.

[BlackNMild2k1]

This is pretty much what you have in mind.



I don't like it. I've seen plenty of mock-ups that resemble that or something close, and it just doesn't look good to me.


This is the style everyone else seems to want



I don't really like that either, but it looks much better than the one above it.

[Stogi]

But those two mock-ups are the only type that make any sense. Your favorite mock-up is huge for no reason at all. There's lots of wasted space.

Look at it again. Why make a tablet with the controls neither on the side or on the bottom, but both? That's just bad engineering.

In my mind, the smaller and more comfortable you can make it, the better. So basically it comes down to a decision between having the controls to the side or underneath the screen. I'm arguing that having controls on the bottom would make it more comfortable, hence why I think it should look like that.

[BlackNMild2k1]

The controls for the mock up you like and I like would pretty much be the same and having the screen in the middle of the controls or above the controls isn't gonna change how you hold it other than how close you have to hold your wrist together. If that's what it comes down to, then my mock up would win.

I'm gonna see if I can edit it a little and get it a bit shorter. I don't have any photo editing skillz, but I'm gonna give it a shot.





I shortened it up a bit and moved the d-pad and 2nd analog out a little more.

[Shorty McNostril]

I am going to laugh so hard if this thing doesn't end up with screens on the controllers.

[Stogi]

I don't understand. Comes down to what? Wrist distance? Why would it come down to that?

It comes down to size, cost, and ergonomics. And no R&D team worth their weight would draw up that mock-up. Too much wasted space. It's slick, but more expensive for no reason.

I also think you are over-estimating how big a 6" (diagonal) screen really is. It's really not that big. The width of the screen comes to about 4.8". The width of a 360 controller is, according to amazon, 7.5 inches.

So that tablet would look extremely goofy in real life.

That is why I'm willing to bet that Nintendo either chooses controls on the side or controls on the bottom, but not both.

EDIT: But who knows, I'm still trying to figure out how the hell they are going to incorporate a Wiimote.

[ShyGuy]

I hope it's two ergonomic motion plus remotes with four buttons, dual triggers and an analog stick.

[ShyGuy]

Two wii motes (sans condoms) on top of each other is 6 inches diagonally. Not that big.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Actually, the mock-ups I drew by hand were done to actual size, so I know exactly how big a 6" screen is. I even printed out a 16:9 screen that was 6" to compare it to my drawing.

Look at this:

This is the Aino V8000HDW media player, compared with a PSP. It has a 6" 16:9 screen...

Here it is in someones hands

and here is a mockup made to the same scale

It comes down to size, cost, and ergonomics. And no R&D team worth their weight would draw up that mock-up. Too much wasted space. It's slick, but more expensive for no reason.

The aesthetics of it look nice and that alone will sell it to far more people than a giant widescreen Gameboy Brick.

Plastic is cheap, but if your so worried about extra plastic, then they definitely wouldn't put the controls on just the side because of the angle the thumbs need to reach the lower controls. To set the controls up properly, there would be plenty of "wasted space".

As far a what an R&D team would draw up... I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
edit: And have you seen a DS, DSL, DSi DSiXL or 3DS? talk about lots of xtra unused plastic.

[Stogi]

Enough arguing. Let's make a bet. $20 through paypal?

With all the rumors we've heard, I am 100% positive that the real controller will not have controls both to the side and bottom of the screen, i.e. the tablet look. It'll either be one or the other.

When I say controls, I am talking specifically about the joysticks, d-pad, and ab/xy buttons.

I am going to laugh so hard if this thing doesn't end up with screens on the controllers.

Me too.

[Lithium]

I know this is/was a psp2 mockup but im thinking based on the rumours it could end up looking like this



that way it can be both a tablet and a screen controller at the same time, then add some dreamcast handles like mentioned before so its not unconfortable to hold (and make the analog nubs into 3ds analogue sticks)

and since this is all a crazy fantasy they could use the 3-d tech from the 3ds screens hahaha

[Kytim89]

It appears the Wii's days are numbered.
 
http://www.infendo.com/is-the-world-ready-for-wii-2/#comments

[Ceric]

I was thinking about this more and this going to sound odd but what if the control surface was to the side more.  You hold it like holding 2 melons with the buttons on the back... I'll just try to mock it up.

[Stogi]

cant wait lol

[Spak-Spang]

I reread what IGN wrote.  They described it as being about the size of an iPhone with controllers. 

So I went to look at the iPhone and I must say that size is perfect.  And a small multi-touch screen with buttons on the side and handles would not add too much bulk and would make it easier to hold than the iphone for gaming. 

I like BNM design the most, because it is simple and slick, but also very approachable.  I just don't know how Nintendo can pull this type of system off.  Obviously, the system is not going to have huge memory in the controller...maybe like a 2-5 Gigs in the controller for streaming, but how is this going to work?  I am seriously baffled. 

[BlackNMild2k1]

Rumor: Nintendo to release budget Wii titles under the Nintendo Select brand?

games to be-rebranded and sold @ $19.99
Zelda:TP, Super Mario Sluggers & WiiSports(Resort?)


Listed to hit in May 2011

[Ceric]

Rumor: Nintendo to release budget Wii titles under the Nintendo Select brand?

games to be-rebranded and sold @ $19.99
Zelda:TP, Super Mario Sluggers & WiiSports(Resort?)


Listed to hit in May 2011

That supports a release for this year.

[Kytim89]

It appears to me that Nintendo is preparing the Wii 2 for a 2012 launch by lowering the prices of Wii games.

[stevey]

I complete hate the tablet designs and don't see anything way it could be used for hours on end. Hopefully, it's going to be an enhanced Dreamcast controller design with a built in screen...

[Spak-Spang]

The way I look at it.  If the screen is the size of the iPhone screen, you can easily add a small DS sized buttons and D-pad to the device. 

The thumb slider thing can be used instead of the traditional analog sticks and everything becomes uniform.  The 3DS and Wii2 use many of the same components making it cheaper to manufacture everything.  Now, if the controller is really only designed to stream images to the device, and not actually be a portable system (that would take from the 3DS line.)  Then how much memory and what type of CPU really needs to be in the controller?  If can they somehow make this controller cost between $79.99-$100.00 it would be a miracle. 

I don't have alot of knowledge of what is needed to stream video to a device like this, what is the cheapest this thing could be? 

[ThePerm]

can't make the controller like a ping pong paddle?

[Louieturkey]

Rumor: Nintendo to release budget Wii titles under the Nintendo Select brand?

games to be-rebranded and sold @ $19.99
Zelda:TP, Super Mario Sluggers & WiiSports(Resort?)


Listed to hit in May 2011

So the player's choice games require a 4+ year life cycle before they go down in price?  Interesting.  I think the Wii needed this last year and they would've sold more systems.  The PS2 kept selling late in life due to so many greatest hits being available.  There's a few games I'd buy for $20 right now.

[Stogi]

Spak: Just so you know, the rumored screen size itself is about the size of the entire iPhone, not just the screen.