Topic: Nintendo 3DS Discussion

[BlackNMild2k1]

Nintendo's PICA (which mens Dick in Portuguese) might be clocked at 400Mhz according to this pdf from 2008
http://people.csail.mit.edu/kapu/EG_08/Mobile3D_EG08.pdf

It says PICA 200 400Mhz @ 65nm

I'm sure they got the chip down to 45-40nm by now so 400Mhz and the same or less wattage shouldn't be a problem right?

[Louieturkey]

So it's OpenGL based.  Well, it shouldn't be too hard for companies to learn how to write for it, so that's good.

[Caterkiller]

I don't know why I have this in my head I feel like I read something about it, but will there be some kind of achievement system?

[stevey]

hell no

(are you think about tag mode)

[DAaaMan64]

So it's OpenGL based.  Well, it shouldn't be too hard for companies to learn how to write for it, so that's good.

GameCube, Wii, and DS are OpenGL based, the key here is it offers shaders. Which is a massive step up from GameCube and Wii for 3rd Parties.

[TJ Spyke]

Why? Nvidia is a solid company.

[DAaaMan64]

Why? Nvidia is a solid company.

What does Nvidia have to do with your question? Why is because Nintendo never supported shaders before, and 360, PS3, and original Xbox all had them. 3rd Parties know how to program them, they don't know how to program Nintendo's TEV poop.

[Caterkiller]

Maybe i'm thinking of the thing that updates leader boards automaticly, there was something like that wasn't there?

[that Baby guy]

There was a better tag mode for wifi, where any game could get info, and not just the one in the system.  Could that be it?

[Caterkiller]

Yeah that must be it, the bark mode for everything.

[UltimatePartyBear]

So it's OpenGL based.  Well, it shouldn't be too hard for companies to learn how to write for it, so that's good.

GameCube, Wii, and DS are OpenGL based, the key here is it offers shaders. Which is a massive step up from GameCube and Wii for 3rd Parties.

Does it make a difference that it's proprietary shader tech?

Let me put that another way:  Third excuse makers will complain that it's a different shader tech.

[DAaaMan64]

So it's OpenGL based.  Well, it shouldn't be too hard for companies to learn how to write for it, so that's good.

GameCube, Wii, and DS are OpenGL based, the key here is it offers shaders. Which is a massive step up from GameCube and Wii for 3rd Parties.

Does it make a difference that it's proprietary shader tech?

Let me put that another way:  Third excuse makers will complain that it's a different shader tech.

There is a big difference between a slightly obscure code model and TEV. Shader tech is at least familiar.

[BeautifulShy]

After seeing that video I want Pikmin 3 to be for 3DS, that would be much more interesting experience than on the Wii.

And now, we know why Pikmin 3 has been so delayed...

Actually it is going to be on Wii.

Can someone put all this tech talk into laymans terms?

[Stratos]

After seeing that video I want Pikmin 3 to be for 3DS, that would be much more interesting experience than on the Wii.

And now, we know why Pikmin 3 has been so delayed...

Actually it is going to be on Wii.

Can someone put all this tech talk into laymans terms?

We don't know that for sure. They may have decided to port over the project for 3DS. As far as I have heard they haven't even stated anything beyond 'Pikmin 3 is coming'.

[Guitar Smasher]

Can someone put all this tech talk into laymans terms?

Yes, please!

And can anyone say if the visuals produced by a system capable of GC/Wii level graphics will look better/worse because of the smaller screen?

[Mop it up]

And can anyone say if the visuals produced by a system capable of GC/Wii level graphics will look better/worse because of the smaller screen?

It will look better on a tiny screen. The reason is because the pixels are much smaller and closer together, giving it a much more clean and crisp look. Even if the hardware is slightly under the GameCube, games might still seem to look better on the smaller screen. But if you expand it to television size, it will look much wose than GameCube. It is similar to how the DS actually wasn't on par with N64 graphics, but it seemed like it due to the tiny screens.

[BlackNMild2k1]

From what I've read on the line of GPUs and analysis I've seen on screen shots, the 3DS looks to have hardware what exceeds the GC but not quite reach the Wii. But visually it looks closer to PS360(than GC) since there are alot of more modern visual effects hardwired into the system that the Wii & GC don't have.

In other words, 3DS is not a portable PS360 but you will not be disappointed in it's graphical output.
It's 1st gen games are out doing 5th gen PSP games and look on par with 4th gen Wii games..... and they're in 3D!

[Peachylala]

The MGS:3DS thread has a great example of that. Big Boss's character model in that game basically wipes the floor with Peace Walker's character render, and the PS2's original model for the character.

Yoji Shinkawa art in 3DS graphics is love. Now we just need Kojima to make a not shitty Botkai.

[MaryJane]

We need more specifics on the chip... you can't really start saying what kind of power the chip has until you get into the nitty gritty and also don't forget the CPU, that will play a big part and if the 3DS has a 200-400Mhz GPU a 1.6Ghz or even 2Ghz CPU is possible, and paired with such a powerful/effect loaded GPU we could see some amazing results in the future. And with the it being possibly familiar (depending on the architecture, which we also need to find out more about. That Pica200 could easily be Pica200x or some other designation made specifically for the 3DS) we could actually have more than 2 or 3 not only solid, but instaclassic launch games.

I don't know why I have this in my head I feel like I read something about it, but will there be some kind of achievement system?

No you are correct as a matter of fact! I don't recall if it is  Nintendo based, but I remember hearing some 3rd partiy say they are doing achievement boards and give you free DLC stuff... Kind of makes me think of Animal Crossing, like if you find all the fish they give you a new shirt or something... maybe it is Nintendo based... now I have to look for it until I find the link... thanks for retriggering my OCD. 

[BeautifulShy]

After seeing that video I want Pikmin 3 to be for 3DS, that would be much more interesting experience than on the Wii.

And now, we know why Pikmin 3 has been so delayed...

Actually it is going to be on Wii.

Can someone put all this tech talk into laymans terms?

We don't know that for sure. They may have decided to port over the project for 3DS. As far as I have heard they haven't even stated anything beyond 'Pikmin 3 is coming'.

There was an interview at E3 that all Miyamoto could reveal is that it was for Wii.

[UncleBob]

Aren't these the same people who said Zelda in 2010?

[Caliban]

Nintendo's PICA (which mens Dick in Portuguese)

Actually that's a term used more by the islanders from Azores and Madeira. Us mainlanders use picha, pronounced pee-sha.

[NWR_insanolord]

If there are going to be a lot of games that use the touch screen for aiming or movement with the action on the top screen to take advantage of the 3D, Nintendo needs to bring back the thumb strap they included with the original DS.

[Louieturkey]

Why? Nvidia is a solid company.

But they have no care in how much power you use.  Nintendo always tries to make their systems use as little power as possible and if the GTX 470 & 480 are anything to go by, Nvidia believes that the more power you use the better. So unless they found a better way of lowering power and keeping the output high, they were at a disadvantage.  Plus they aren't a Japanese company and that probably hurt them as well.

[MegaByte]

If there are going to be a lot of games that use the touch screen for aiming or movement with the action on the top screen to take advantage of the 3D, Nintendo needs to bring back the thumb strap they included with the original DS.

There's less reason for this control scheme given the analog disc.