Topic: Nintendo Talks Hardware in Newest Iwata Asks

[Ian Sane]

Ian Sane, is there anything that suggests your suspicions are wrong? I mean, I'm a pretty staunch Nintendo fan, but if I had your stance on future-proofing the console, I wouldn't be holding out much hope right now. It's pretty clear from this Iwata Asks that Nintendo had some other priorities in hardware design that might've prevented them having as much focus on hardware brute strength as some would like.

Well the Wii U appears to be more powerful than the current gen.  A year ago I was legitimately afraid that we would get like a PS3 level system at best.  I was afraid there would be no speculation and that it would be plain as day that Nintendo was going with last gen hardware yet again.  Right now the worst case scenario looks more like Nintendo will be in between.

Sony and MS also had problems with their systems being too expensive at launch.  I highly doubt Sony is going to have a $600 console again.  So they might not go as big this time around because it just isn't economically feasible.  So Nintendo still might be okay.

This is like a shotputt competition.  Nintendo had the first throw and last time they threw like half the distance everyone else did.  This time they threw okayish.  Well that throw MIGHT be far enough.  They didn't totally botch it but it wasn't really all that great either.

Of coures I WANT the Wii U hardware to be good enough.  We're not yet at a point where we can say for certain that it won't be so I'm hoping, but without much confidence, that it will be.

[NWR_insanolord]

There's a realistic chance the Wii U will be more like the PS2 was to the GameCube and Xbox: significantly less power, but still close enough to be ported to, especially with the sales advantage of having launched first. With the Wii, it not only had a bigger difference in power, it also came out a year after the 360 and about the same time as the PS3.

[Adrock]

PS2 was usually the lead platform. It was mainly because it was the market leader, but porting from the least powerful console probably requires less work. GameCube was lead platform for Resident Evil 4 and it had to be made uglier when ported to PS2. With its supposed ease of development, it might make sense to make Wii U the lead platform and port to Orbis/Durango.

Securing publishing rights to games like Bayonetta 2 is also greatly beneficial to Nintendo. It gives them exclusive titles while also familiarizing developers with making games on Wii U. The more familiar developers get, the sooner they start taking advantage of the Wii U's abilities.   

[Ian Sane]

There's a realistic chance the Wii U will be more like the PS2 was to the GameCube and Xbox: significantly less power, but still close enough to be ported to, especially with the sales advantage of having launched first. With the Wii, it not only had a bigger difference in power, it also came out a year after the 360 and about the same time as the PS3.

This would be fine and I could never expect Nintendo to do any better than that.  But if they're being too conservative then it might not be like this.  Sony didn't set out to make the weakest hardware of their generation.  They had a release date and price point in mind and made the most powerful game console they could that would fit those two requirements.  The Gamecube and Xbox had superior hardware entirely because they came out a year later.  But is Nintendo making the best affordable console they can in 2012?

[Louieturkey]

There's a realistic chance the Wii U will be more like the PS2 was to the GameCube and Xbox: significantly less power, but still close enough to be ported to, especially with the sales advantage of having launched first. With the Wii, it not only had a bigger difference in power, it also came out a year after the 360 and about the same time as the PS3.

This would be fine and I could never expect Nintendo to do any better than that.  But if they're being too conservative then it might not be like this.  Sony didn't set out to make the weakest hardware of their generation.  They had a release date and price point in mind and made the most powerful game console they could that would fit those two requirements.  The Gamecube and Xbox had superior hardware entirely because they came out a year later.  But is Nintendo making the best affordable console they can in 2012?

Based on their qualifications, I think they did.  When you factor in the gamepad and needing to make a profit on the console, it seems to me they did this.

[Ceric]

In the newest Iwata ask about the Gamepad it was clear that Nintendo had partitioned a specific cost that the Wii U Gamepad could not exceed.  The designers mentioned that if money wasn't a consideration they could do things like just add more antennas.

[Adrock]

In terms of features and such, the only thing I would want is better battery life. The official line from Nintendo is 3-5 hours. I feel like it's going to be plugged in more often than not. Unless a game really benefits from the GamePad, I may use the Pro Controller if it's an option.

[Ceric]

In terms of features and such, the only thing I would want is better battery life. The official line from Nintendo is 3-5 hours. I feel like it's going to be plugged in more often than not. Unless a game really benefits from the GamePad, I may use the Pro Controller if it's an option.

Nintendo's historically been very conservative on the controllers battery life.  I would think that they like to hit the 8 hour mark.

[Adrock]

Their estimate for 3DS was pretty accurate. I get about 3-5 hours. I mind it less on 3DS because I usually play it while laying in bed so I can plug it in right there. The Wii U is a console so on my couch I'm not especially close to an outlet.

[Louieturkey]

Their estimate for 3DS was pretty accurate. I get about 3-5 hours. I mind it less on 3DS because I usually play it while laying in bed so I can plug it in right there. The Wii U is a console so on my couch I'm not especially close to an outlet.

Extension chords can save you.

[Adrock]

My cats don't play nice with cords strewn about my floor. The closer to the wall the better. Beside my bed, wires and cords are tucked away.

[Louieturkey]

My cats don't play nice with cords strewn about my floor. The closer to the wall the better. Beside my bed, wires and cords are tucked away.

Really thick extension chords that you put away when not playing?

[Ceric]

Their estimate for 3DS was pretty accurate. I get about 3-5 hours. I mind it less on 3DS because I usually play it while laying in bed so I can plug it in right there. The Wii U is a console so on my couch I'm not especially close to an outlet.

Is your couch not by a wall?  Open Floor plan?

[rlse9]

Isn't the whole idea of wireless controllers that you don't have to deal with cords?

[MrPhishfood]

Isn't the whole idea of wireless controllers that you don't have to deal with cords?

Even if you have a nuclear reactor powering your wireless device you're going to have to change the uranium at some point.

If someone wants to play over the 3-5 hour battery life of the Wii U pad then they're going to have to go wired.

[rlse9]

Isn't the whole idea of wireless controllers that you don't have to deal with cords?

Even if you have a nuclear reactor powering your wireless device you're going to have to change the uranium at some point.

If someone wants to play over the 3-5 hour battery life of the Wii U pad then they're going to have to go wired.

Fair enough but no one ever had to plug their Wavebirds or Wiimotes into the wall to be able to keep playing.  Not saying it's a big deal and I can't remember the last time I played a game for more than three hours straight but it still seems backwards to need to worry about cords.

[Ceric]

Screens are power hogs.

[ThePerm]

well considering that all the console manufacturers use the same chip designers, they just have to put in the contract that the future chip has to be competative with the other chips. That way no NDA is breached, yet they dont have to completely speculate.

[Ceric]

well considering that all the console manufacturers use the same chip designers, they just have to put in the contract that the future chip has to be competative with the other chips. That way no NDA is breached, yet they dont have to completely speculate.

I be very surprised if Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft didn't know what the other was doing the minute any 3rd part developer knew.  Plus once something is out wouldn't have to be step.