Topic: Nintendo 3DS Discussion

[GoldenPhoenix]

I find it hard to believe... just look at how much power even the newest versions of those systems consume... Wii-level would be more reasonable.  But I guess we'll find out in 11 days.

Not to mention it would be a pricey machine, I don't see Nintendo doing that. My guess is PSP levels maybe slightly better.

Or it will be a 5lb Virtual Boy with a head strap this time.

[MaryJane]

We already know it is doing 3D, HD wouldn't be much of a stretch. A GPU capable of 3D graphics should have the power to produce HD graphics as well.

In their dominance, the main thing Nintendo is missing now is graphics. In Japan people are moving away from the console so it would make sense for a Japanese company to make a handheld more powerful than their own console. Would it be costly? In a word: no! This is Nintendo we are talking about; all of their latest devices have gone out of their way to be affordable to the masses in order to appeal to those less likely to buy videogames. A hardcore gamer won't mind paying $300 for a 'balls to the wall' 3DS but the stay at home dad/mom who uses it for recipes, brain games, and a few games with their kids would mind and likely buy the iPhone for $200 and use apps for those things I mentioned. It's more after the two year $100 a month contract but upfront costs are important motivators.

Use Google to look at some videos of the Tegra 2 playing games in HD on tablets to see how easily mobile HD can be done. Cellphones, PMP's, and digital camera's are all currently capable of outputing HD--720p--and even displaying it to a certain degree and each manages to cost around $200. Yes the 3DS will likely be a combination of all three of those devices plus a game player but as I'm sure you know, the price of a system can be undercut to make money from its games and long term development. So, if you're a chip manufacturer and Nintendo wants your 3D capable-HD chip in their next 250 million selling system I think you're going to cut them a good deal, especially if your name is Nvidia and you're desperately trying to top Intel, VIA, Qualcomm, and AMD in the mobile CPU/GPU market. 

[Kytim89]

The 3DS will not have graphical capabilities on par with the PS3 or 360 because it is just not feasible at this time due to battery power. Of cours the 3DS will be far superior to the DS with out a doubt and it could possibly match or succeed the PSP in graphics quality. I still see the 3DS as more less the N64 2 because the DS was essentially the N64 in a portable form. It is just yoo early for Gamecube style graphics on a handheld. I would much prefer upgraded N64 graphics(between N64 and GC) or Nintendo's take on the PSP graphical style.
 
It is strange that I had a dream the other day about the 3DS and it was revealed. It was basically a DSi with PSP style graphics and a aesthetic make over. It played movies and a Virtual handheld service. SD card support was retain and it had 4 GB of internal flash memory. Brandishing a motion sensing stylus and the system had two cameras. THere was also a sensor bar in the form two smaller camera holes about the size of a pen head located on the hinges for head tracking and the stylus controls. The 3DS cartridges were the same size as those of the regular DS, but they held more memory allowing both systems to use the same port.
 
A boss battle was taking place on the screen and with the 3D enabled the boss looked much bigger than he actually was. He almost appeared to be coming out of the screen and any explosions has the illusion of flying off the screen and hitting the player.   
 
 

[BlackNMild2k1]

^ ::shakes head slowly::

The DS is your N64 2, the 3DS will be aiming to put GC+ graphics in a portable.

But the IGN rumor didn't say the 3DS will be on PAR with HD consoles, it said
"has processing capabilities that far exceed the Nintendo Wii and bring the device with abilities that are close to HD consoles"
which could just mean that the screen is Hi-Rez and (edit: capable of) outputting HD(720p) and that the processor is much more capable than the 768Mhz Flipper in the GC (new phones are using 1Ghz chips and still getting 12-18hrs battery life with wifi enabled and all sorts of widget/apps/gadgets/etc running).

[MaryJane]

I didn't mean to imply that it would be on par with PS3 and X360 I'm just saying a 3D capable system should also be capable of doing 720p graphics. Honestly, look at the Wii and the GC; the GC was really small and the Wii even smaller how can you say too early for portable GC graphics?

[BlackNMild2k1]

I was responding to Kytim, you post made perfect sense.

[MaryJane]

I know... I was too

Also Kytim watch the second video at this link: http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/05/aava-mobiles-intel-moorestown-prototype-plays-world-of-warcraft/

the first video is the world of warcraft and not all that impressive the second video is of the phone on a projector showing off Avatar in HD and Quake III

[MegaByte]

To be clear, I never said anything about HD resolution, I was specifically talking about 360/PS3 quality.  HD by itself is easy.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Bread crumbs anyone.

I promise* they lead to somewhere that isn't full of disappointment and fail.

Digital Foundry: NVIDIA unconnected with 3DS

According to our two independent, unconnected sources, the Nintendo 3DS - almost certain to be revealed at E3 - features a design totally divorced from the NVIDIA Tegra SoC (system on chip) initially thought to have been powering the DS successor. It's now thought that Nintendo has instead chosen a Japanese partner for the 3D acceleration hardware within the 3DS.

anyone know who the trail is leading us to?



*I don't actually promise since I only know where we're going and not what we'll find when we get there.

[Kytim89]

Bread crumbs anyone.

I promise* they lead to somewhere that isn't full of disappointment and fail.

Digital Foundry: NVIDIA unconnected with 3DS

According to our two independent, unconnected sources, the Nintendo 3DS - almost certain to be revealed at E3 - features a design totally divorced from the NVIDIA Tegra SoC (system on chip) initially thought to have been powering the DS successor. It's now thought that Nintendo has instead chosen a Japanese partner for the 3D acceleration hardware within the 3DS.

anyone know who the trail is leading us to?
 
Who is it?



*I don't actually promise since I only know where we're going and not what we'll find when we get there.

[Adrock]

We don't know who it is. The point is to guess. If it's supposed to be a Japanese company, off the top of my head my only guesses would be NEC and Toshiba. Nintendo has partnered with NEC in the past though I'm pretty sure NEC manufactured parts for NIntendo hardware as opposed to developing the parts.

[Mannypon]

Sorry on my cell posting.  I was doing some research and i found that the powervr sgx chip is licensed to NEC which i think is the line of chips Apple uses. Also the powervr sgxmp is a 1 to 16 core chip that is the latest in the powervr line.  The PSP2 is rumoured to be using an 8 core variant according to the powervr wiki page.  I wonder if Nintendo could be using a variation of one of those line of chips through NEC.

[Stogi]

anyone know who the trail is leading us to?

Does it matter?

[BlackNMild2k1]

anyone know who the trail is leading us to?

Does it matter?

For some, it's like sports.

Yeah the Lakers won, but did they cover the spread? How many points did Kobe have?
Who was at practice the day before? who do you think would be best to cover whoever in whatever situation.

So does it matter?
Only if you wanna know.

[MaryJane]

agreed, I find this interesting, mainly because it's just another example of Japanese traditionalism and I for one would really like to know if Nintendo went with an inferior product to maintain that traditionalism or if a major new player is about to be unleashed on the mobile chip producing world. Nvidia is definitely going to have a whole lot to say about whomever Nintendo went with if it really isn't them.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Nintendo obviously doesn't need Nvidia, so no bother in listening to them ever again.

3DS is as powerful as 360, yo.  So that means the 3DS is running on 2x Cells by Sony.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I read that there is another Japanese chip maker, and what was said is that what they make is not something you wouldn't traditionally think to use for Nintendo's next handheld like an SGX5X5, a Tegra 2 or shrunken GC hardware.

[MaryJane]

"not something you wouldn't traditionally think"

so it's something I would traditionally think?
I'm sure that whatever it is could be manufactured by someone else, what in the hardware world is protected by copyright? And as for who cares about Nvidia... I do and so does anyone else who sees the potential in the architecture of the Tegra 2 and beyond... I have technolust

[Pale]

I find all of these specs HIGHLY suspect and almost laughable.

That said, if Nintendo actually comes out and shows a technologically impressive device, I will eat crow and be SO thankful that they decided to push the envelope again.

So what do I consider technologically impressive?  Without getting too specific, the screens have to have at least the PPI of the Moto Droid and the graphics have to be at least on par with the Cube.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I find all of these specs HIGHLY suspect and almost laughable.

That said, if Nintendo actually comes out and shows a technologically impressive device, I will eat crow and be SO thankful that they decided to push the envelope again.

So what do I consider technologically impressive?  Without getting too specific, the screens have to have at least the PPI of the Moto Droid and the graphics have to be at least on par with the Cube.

Then I hope you have a hearty appetite, because that is the least that I'm expecting.

Sharp said they finally got the 3D right because the resolution of the screen (800x480) which I think is the resolution of the Droid.

Nintendo has talked about shrinking the GC chipset years ago, a developer at GDC mentioned similar to GC power, and 3DS is set to be the GC equivalent handheld going by post handheld comparisons.

So I'm at the very least expecting a hi-rez screen and GC-like graphics.

[Stogi]

anyone know who the trail is leading us to?

Does it matter?

For some, it's like sports.

Yeah the Lakers won, but did they cover the spread? How many points did Kobe have?
Who was at practice the day before? who do you think would be best to cover whoever in whatever situation.

So does it matter?
Only if you wanna know.

You misunderstood. Why does the manufacturer matter? Don't you simply care about how much graphical power it can produce? If it's amazing chip by some unheard of company, then why does that company matter?

I mean...did you really give a **** that ATI developed the chipset for the Wii?

[BlackNMild2k1]

It's fun to speculate and if we know who is making the chip then we know what to expect ahead of time and can focus our speculation on their current product line.

Some rumor had said that we will be surprised with who Nintendo chose for their GPU/SoC, so now that we can maybe rule out Nvidia as the supplier of the chips (not necessarily the design) we can look elsewhere.   

[Stogi]

But that still doesn't make any sense.

According to you, you already know what to expect: 3D high rez images with GC level graphics. What more speculation on graphics do you need?

And so what if a familiar company made the chip. It will be completely propriety to Nintendo standards anyhow, so comparing it to their previous chips is unnecessary and irrelevant. Take ATI again, the Gecko chip was nothing like what they had produced for computers and other devices at the time.

[BlackNMild2k1]

True, but like I said, it's fun to speculate.

we've got rumors of "GC-like" on one hand and rumors of "better than Wii and closer to HD consoles" on the other.
if it turned out to be Nvidia, we would know to expect something that is capable on the lines of Tegra/2, but if it's NEC what would be looking at? What if it's some company that we've never payed attention to that does SoC but specializes in some crazy tech that they just announced a few years/months back. What if the company that is it has some licensing partners with other companies that do crazy stuff, like that Unlimited Detail software graphics thing from a few months ago. The more we know, the better we can speculate/theorize.

[Stogi]

I get it now.

I guess I have no interest in graphics at all. The 3DS intrigued me with...you know...the 3D, but other than that, I would be more impressed with a rumor that detailed the layout of buttons and screens and if there is a joystick or not.