Topics

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Nintendo Gaming / Games Nintendo needs to not put on Wii until they do something original

« on: August 22, 2006, 05:05:38 PM »

If you've read the rumors you know that games like Star Fox, Luigi's Mansion, and Kid Ikarus are being seriously considered for the Wii.  Why is this?  Why is Nintendo giving us spin about going after new consumers (non gamers as well as non-Nintendo gamers) and then plotting to take the same old path with their software.  

One of the main reasons GCN failed miserably (outside of GBA connectivity, lack of online, casing, controller, etc) was the lack of originality in the software lineup.  The library was not interesting to anyone but Nintendo fans.  

The Wii is just the same.  Nintendo is going to be playing catchup making their franchises online.  And they will use the remote as an excuse to make games like Luig's Mansion which will attract noone but fanboys.  Why do this in spite of the unbelievable reaction to the New Super Mario Bros which is the first SMB in fifteen years?  Why make seperate Mario and Luigi games?  Why make a sequel to LM which did nothing to expand the user base?  

They want to act like they learned from the GameCube that graphics are not important but the truth is that it wasn't the pretty graphics on GCN that lost it for them, it was their games.


I will judge the system by its fruits and currently, the Wii has the same old apples which noone was interested in last gen.  The first thing Nintendo should be worried about, the key to attracting new consumers (people who traditionally only buy Sony and MS), is to do something dark, epic, and new before you go updating Mario Party or Pilot Wings or Wave Race, etc.  

Nintendo should be the one on the forefront of that which is new, they should be the ones bringing us games like Portal (the team who created the original demo did graduate from the school Nintendo helps fund).

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Nintendo Gaming / 1upyours 8/18/06 Nintendo could sell Wii for $99

« on: August 18, 2006, 03:47:38 PM »

Among other debates over whether the system is a peripheral, is the Wii like the DS; will there be a Wii2 in two years (when MS launches their next console).

And what about MS' "first-person" controller?  

The DS is like a semi-truck and the PSP is like a retarded kid on a bike

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General Gaming / Grudge Match from Hell: Wii Remote Vs Fighting Games

« on: August 16, 2006, 12:24:22 AM »

Soul Calibur:  I'll start with the game that should work with the remote the best.  Imagine using the nunchuck's stick to move the character around and the remote to swing the weapon freely, using a button on one of the handles to jump, and other buttons along with remote movements to trigger special moves you can't do just by swinging at the other guy's face.


Mortal Kombat:  This game has been confirmed but noone knows how it will control.  It won't be the Mortal Kombat I want.  The game I want would go back to 2D, now with scrolling FMV backgrounds (like RErebirth and Zero) and all the power focused on the two 3D character models.  Players would dual wield remotes.  One dpad would move the character old school style.  The other buttons, like Soul Calibur, would be used with the remotes' motion tech to trigger special moves.  Your swings with the remotes would by default throw punches, and holding the B buttons would allow you to kick with the remotes.  Wounds would remain the whole match.  If you slice someone with a blade using the remote, the wound will appear where you swing and how you swing.  If you just hack into someone, your blade will get stuck in them; depending on your weapon you might find you have to pull the blade to cut with it like a steak knife.

I want to go back to the gritty aesthetic the game took when it first came out.


Street Fighter:  Possibly the greatest challenge.  This game can't work with 2D sprites and the remote.  I would want it to be toon shaded, 3D, and using two nude remotes.  One dpad would be for your 2D character movement, jumping, and ducking.  Up and down on the other dpad would move you along the third dimension during the fight.  Your swings with the remotes would by default throw punches, holding the B buttons would allow you to kick with the remotes, and you would use other buttons to to trigger special moves allow you to puppeteer the character's limbs when doing something like throwing a fireball.


Super Smash Bore:  Nintendo has come out and said they won't use the remote for SSB.  I think they could do some cool things with this game and two remotes (it is 2D).  When you get the hammer for example, you could really swing it.  When you throw characters, you could actually throw them.


DBZ:  I would want this game to control like Street Fighter, but using a remote to fly.



Everything should be online.

And it would be nice to see an original fighter as well.

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Nintendo Gaming / Unlikely leaked pic of REWii

« on: August 01, 2006, 04:07:54 PM »

hot plate


Looks like static backgrounds again.

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NWR Feedback / Forums have hardly been loading

« on: July 22, 2006, 11:07:41 AM »

Are you guys moving some things, switching servers, something big?  When I have tried coming to the forums here for the past couple of days they havn't been working; I had to reload this page half a dozen times to post this.

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General Gaming / Army of Two

« on: July 19, 2006, 02:35:47 PM »

video preview

The game is number one on EGM's list of 50 best original games.  I wish Wii had more games on that list (that's all on Nintendo though).  The water effects are the best I have seen yet in a game.  These are the graphics we won't be seeing on Wii.

Beyond that the game is full on cooperative.  Even if you don't have a buddy to play with, the AI will pick up the slack.  Just check the video.  I can't give you a better preview than the developers.


 

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General Chat / Aliens, are they already here?

« on: July 15, 2006, 12:25:55 AM »

ufo crashes




















Book of Enoch:  Chapter 7



1It happened after the sons of men had multiplied in those days, that daughters were born to them, elegant and beautiful.

2And when the angels, (3) the sons of heaven, beheld them, they became enamoured of them, saying to each other, Come, let us select for ourselves wives from the progeny of men, and let us beget children.

3Then their leader Samyaza said to them; I fear that you may perhaps be indisposed to the performance of this enterprise;

4And that I alone shall suffer for so grievous a crime.

5But they answered him and said; We all swear;

6And bind ourselves by mutual execrations, that we will not change our intention, but execute our projected undertaking.

7Then they swore all together, and all bound themselves by mutual execrations. Their whole number was two hundred, who descended upon Ardis, (4) which is the top of mount Armon.

10Then they took wives, each choosing for himself; whom they began to approach, and with whom they cohabited; teaching them sorcery, incantations, and the dividing of roots and trees.

11And the women conceiving brought forth giants, (7)

12Whose stature was each three hundred cubits. These devoured all which the labor of men produced; until it became impossible to feed them;

13When they turned themselves against men, in order to devour them;

14And began to injure birds, beasts, reptiles, and fishes, to eat their flesh one after another, ( and to drink their blood.

Chapter 8



1Moreover Azazyel taught men to make swords, knives, shields, breastplates, the fabrication of mirrors, and the workmanship of bracelets and ornaments, the use of paint, the beautifying of the eyebrows, the use of stones of every valuable and select kind, and all sorts of dyes, so that the world became altered.

2Impiety increased; fornication multiplied; and they transgressed and corrupted all their ways.

3Amazarak taught all the sorcerers, and dividers of roots:

4Armers taught the solution of sorcery;

5Barkayal taught the observers of the stars, (9)

Chapter 9



1Then Michael and Gabriel, Raphael, Suryal, and Uriel, looked down from heaven, and saw the quantity of blood which was shed on earth, and all the iniquity which was done upon it, and said one to another, It is the voice of their cries;

2The earth deprived of her children has cried even to the gate of heaven.

3And now to you, O you holy one of heaven, the souls of men complain, saying, Obtain Justice for us with (10) the Most High. Then they said to their Lord, the King, You are Lord of lords, God of gods, King of kings. The throne of your glory is for ever and ever, and for ever and ever is your name sanctified and glorified. You are blessed and glorified.

(10) Obtain justice for us with. Literally, "Bring judgment to us from." (Richard Laurence, ed. and trans., The Book of Enoch the Prophet [London: Kegan Paul, Trench & Co., 1883], p. 9).

4You have made all things; you possess power over all things; and all things are open and manifest before you. You behold all things, and nothing can be concealed from you.

5You have seen what Azazyel has done, how he has taught every species of iniquity upon earth, and has disclosed to the world all the secret things which are done in the heavens.

6Samyaza also has taught sorcery, to whom you have given authority over those who are associated with him. They have gone together to the daughters of men; have lain with them; have become polluted;

7And have discovered crimes (11) to them.

(11) Discovered crimes. Or, "revealed these sins" (Charles, p. 70).

8The women likewise have brought forth giants.

9Thus has the whole earth been filled with blood and with iniquity.

10And now behold the souls of those who are dead, cry out.

11And complain even to the gate of heaven.

12Their groaning ascends; nor can they escape from the unrighteousness which is committed on earth. You know all things, before they exist.

13You know these things, and what has been done by them; yet you do not speak to us.

14What on account of these things ought we to do to them?

Chapter 10



1Then the Most High, the Great and Holy One spoke,

2And sent Arsayalalyur (12) to the son of Lamech,

(12) Arsayalalyur. Here one Greek text reads "Uriel."

3Saying, Say to him in my name, Conceal yourself.

4Then explain to him the consummation which is about to take place; for all the earth shall perish; the waters of a deluge shall come over the whole earth, and all things which are in it shall be destroyed.

5And now teach him how he may escape, and how his seed may remain in all the earth.

the giants drew worship as gods thus the judgement of the flood

The flood story is found in many cultures around the world; even the American Indians have stories of a flood and a Noah character.

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Nintendo Gaming / Mario Kart

« on: July 12, 2006, 04:25:11 PM »

Normally I would say they shouldn't make another Mario Kart, and instead take its multiplayer racing aspects and powerups and just make a 3D Super Mario Bros platforming racer.  But bar stool racing and lawn mower racing have inspired me.  


bar stool racing


mower racing

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Nintendo Gaming / Now that E3 has soaked in...what original game (concept) do you see Wii needs?

« on: June 28, 2006, 01:43:52 PM »

Now the secrets are out, the control methods shown at E3 have soaked into your minds, the bugs are being addressed by third parties (Ubisoft is going back to literal sword controls for Red Steel), and new shells have been shown.  What original game do you guys think Wii needs?  

I think Wii needs an original, simple, toon shaded, shooter in the vein of Quake and Doom.  A lot of corridors, story told during gameplay, dark themes, and many multiplayer modes including cooperative (and an extensive yet intuitive point and click level editor to make death match live forever allowing you to trade massive maps online and rate them).  The reason for toon shading is I want a shooter that is Mature but the visual style is based on lighting and color rather than shiny metal.  I would think of it as a tip of the hat to the old 2D shooters.  

I guess it is very important to explain possible control options.  I would pack in two cusom pistol shells, similar to the one at E3 though smaller and shaped more like a revolver with a round loop for the trigger finger.  One would have a thumb stick and the other would use a small trackball button.  The trackball would control camera freely at any moment during play while its button function would be jump.  The thumb stick would be for running and side stepping.  Using two pistols means two remote allowing you to aim freely with each hand or to wield a pistol in one hand and a melee weapon in the other.  The second way you would turn or look up in the game would be to move both pistols in the same direction at the same time triggering the character's torso to turn.  

The sound of your weapon (usually gun) would come from your remote unless you turned that feature off to save battery life.  You could even turn the rumble off to save battery life.  I hope Nintendo will include a port for a cord to hook the controller into the system and charge at the same time (they could still market it as fully wireless).  

As always I'll offer some visual aids:

spider mech

troll

I like the way vehicles are used in Halo, Star Wars, and even GTA and believe vehicles should be available.  The entire game would take place on an asteroid, there would be one city inside a large cavern in the asteroid that is open like a GTA with skyscrapers and utilitarian design, streets, and traffic.  The city would take up only an eighth of the mass the rock.  There are regions yet unexplored as well as alien ruins and megalithic temples.  The game would be nonlinear.  

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Nintendo Gaming / I demand Psychonauts to be on the VC!

« on: June 09, 2006, 09:13:27 PM »

Someone told me the game does not work on the 360...this is one of the Xbox games that I was wanting to go back and try when I get a 360 (when Halo 3 comes out).  This is real simple, Nintendo needs to get this highly acclaimed super sleeper on their Virtual Console.  

And then there are the bragging rights, "our system is backwards compatible with Xbox games the 360 can't run."

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Nintendo Gaming / No multiplayer in Mario Galaxy

« on: June 06, 2006, 01:12:34 AM »

"One thing I've always wanted to do with the Mario games is alow for one player to play as Mario and for other players to join in. The way that the Wii Remote works, given that we can have up to four Wii Remotes using the player functionality simultaneously, it would allow one player to control Mario, with the other players using the Wii Remote to help him out or get in his way." - Miyamoto

I'm not sure what he is talking about exactly but I know he isn't saying there is a second playable character, there is no other brother Mario.  

If you want to do something innovative, allow a friend to play the game with me cooperatively over the net.

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Nintendo Gaming / Simple (literal) controls vs. Motion activated commands (the first true Wiigend of Zelda)

« on: June 01, 2006, 02:22:40 AM »

I think the Wii Tennis shows how Wii games should control.  People want things to control simply.  Instead people came back from E3 talking about how Red Steel had you use the remote to activate prerecorded moves.  They said Metroid needed an option to lock the cross hair and camera together like a PC shooter.  And then there was Zelda which virtually everyone I have either read or listened to on various podcasts has said the game controlled like puke with the remote.  I try to keep in mind that the game was made for another controller but we may be able to control the Wii version with a pad instead of the wiimote setup (in case people just can't get the hang of it).  In a perfect world Nintendo would go back to the drawing board after people said the game felt like trying to rub your stomach and pat the top of your head at the same time, but I'm thinking about the future; how will the first Zelda built from the ground up play on Wii (and god I hope its trees look better).  

You ask me, pare Zelda down to what it was originally about.  You move this kid around on screen hiding behind bushes and rocks, swinging a sword, shooting a bow, throwing a boomerang, and laying bombs (exploring).  The game should control as simply as the original games.  If you want to swing the sword, you should be able to swing the remote (like Wii Tennis) rather than having to work the analog stick, the nunchuck sensors, button combos on two hemispheres, targetting, and shield attacks with the remote.  I don't want more stuff to memorize, I want to simply be given the sword and let me go into the field and play and learn from my experiments; don't put me through any hand holding.  Part of the fun of first playing NES games was just jumping in.  First time I played Super Mario Bros. I swung the controller up and down and left and right.  I find myself doing it these days in Metroid Prime 2 when that bounty hunter butch (see how changing a letter can give a new meaning to your insult) won't move her butt a little faster.

If you need to use the bow, the perspective should not change, keep the camera above the characters; keep the space out unless the player manually changes the view (optional first person shooter mode as well, though I don't believe it should be in a Zelda game, people demand the perspective and the ability to move while in it wouldn't be bad; I would guess most of your fps gamers would play the game this way).  When you aim with your camera above the action you aim from left to right and the character automatically takes care of the height of the shot.  I'm sure certain puzzles would require you to lower the camera and explore spaces better (but as far as combat goes, the 3/4 view is best).  There could even be a novice mode allowing players to simply click on what they want to shoot at (like Warcraft).  I want the camera under control during combat so the remote can be used for sword control.  

Thinking about this game, I've been envisioning the first Wiigend of Zelda looking toon shaded with more Final Fantasy CC super deformed characters than Twilight Princess' realistic style.  But Miyamoto has said the next game will be radically new (what if he means mature?).

I've always been a fan of the idea of having a full Zelda adventure with co-op.  Halo sold me on it, I has to haves it; give me the Four Sword.  

I've said it before, but I would like to see all three of the series' main characters in an adventure together (over the internet or LAN) against a greater evil (like in Paper Mario 3).  Each character would have a sword but there would be items that are Link only (boomarangs) or Gannondorf only (lance).  Then there would be weapons two characters could switch out; Link and Zelda could both use bows, or Link and Gannon can both wield heavy swords/axes/etc.  Each character would have their own instrument allowing them to talk to animals.  Perhaps they could even continue their lechanthropic theme as well.



 

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Nintendo Gaming / Wii Nintendo Stampede at E3 (watch as hundreds run right past Sony's section)

« on: May 12, 2006, 07:12:56 PM »

you think I'm joking?

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Nintendo Gaming / Havoc on Wii

« on: May 12, 2006, 05:34:06 PM »

Havoc on Wii

has this already been posted?

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Nintendo Gaming / Those original IPs

« on: May 09, 2006, 04:35:44 PM »

I'm not even going to talk about that disaster game, the whole clip looked stupid and uninteresting.  So I'm going to focus on the hammer game.  

Why make a whole game out of a power up that should be in the new Mario (Bros, it better be Bros **********).  If your sells pitch is you just hit **** with a hammer it is a dud.  If Sony had pitched these games yesterday Nintendo fans would have been like, "that's stupid."  It's like defending Geist.

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Nintendo Gaming / Rumor says EGM says Wiimote has speaker

« on: May 08, 2006, 06:23:01 PM »

This hasn't been confirmed, in fact, I think it's bull cause the rumor also says Zelda TP doesn't use the remote for sword control, but the new Time article said the remote is used for sword control.  

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NWR Forums Discord / I thought I would share this with you guys; Mario Wii

« on: May 07, 2006, 02:44:53 AM »

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General Gaming / Rumors Persist, Sony to Do Something Big

« on: May 06, 2006, 04:32:59 PM »

I'm in a state of confusion; I continuously read that Sony is up to something. I've read some say what Sony is going to show at E3 is going to be recieved negatively for some reason; some say it is a controller redesign. How could that be recieved negatively? Maybe because at the core it means they have to change the hardware which pisses off already frustrated PS3 developers struggling to port their games between the CELL and 360's CPU. Beyond that it means they can't launch this year (cue Sony fanboy spontaneously combusting on E3 showroom floor). It also means they better watch their steps because I assume Nintendo is well protected by patents. Does Sony really want another Immersion style lawsuit (though on a scale much larger next time)? Will Sony be able to have any kind of rumble in any controller they have? Then you have to take in affect the Sony fan(boys) who have convinced themselves that what Nintendo is doing is lunacy, some will not like that Sony has made them look like fools. Also you have Nintendo fans and the general media who are going to say to Sony, "Do you think you can pull this $hit on us, you copied this from Nintendo and we're not going to ignore it." There are more to things to consider but these are the biggies I think.

 

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Nintendo Gaming / 1up Speaking Up: Us vs Wii

« on: April 29, 2006, 06:55:57 PM »

the internet is melting

"And the Nintendoods, bless their zealous little souls, have Twistered their minds through the spaghetti logic necessary to explain why the name, in fact, rocks. Left lobe red, right lobe yellow, hey presto -- Wii is genius!"

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Nintendo Gaming / Rumor Roll Call

« on: April 22, 2006, 06:45:48 PM »

First the juice:  The Last Secret about the hardware or controller.

So there is already one thread discussing the possibility of the nunchuck peripheral having a gyro built in as well.  If this rumor turns out true I would believe it would not be as fully functional as the remote piece which works with the sensor bar.  Speaking of the sensor bar, our next rumor circling the last secret of the system code named Revolution involves that mysterious black bar.  

In revolution.ign's podcast it was said, and I'm paraphrasing, that some times you'll see that bar out there and some times you won't.  What that means is up to you.  Honestly, I don't know what the hell that means unless it means you'll be wearing a HMD with the bar attached to your head...but wouldn't that interfer with the remote?  

And I have no segue for the last rumor.  In revolution.ign's Nintendo Minute 26 Perrin Kaplan said, " As always, the hard-core gamers have a lot of ground to cover at E3, but they will "feel" the future of gaming in our booth."  Some are speculating that she is hinting at some form of haptics.



I want to add some other rumors about software.

There is the thread on the Knights rumor from Famitsu, but I want to throw some coals on the fire.

The developer of Ikarus this week is Retro according to a spanish site.  In case you didn't get that, just the other day there were "leaked" character concepts for Ikarus bearing the Capcom logo in the corner, which could very well be possible considering that Phoenix game which never saw the light of day from the Capcom 5 aka Sir Not-Appearing-in-this-Film.  But there is more.  In the past I'm pretty sure EGM said Konami's Acid team was going to make a Revolution title using a Nintendo franchise, at the time, it seemed like they would fit best with something like Ikarus but on second thought it might be Eternal Darkness.  And in the past I have personally speculated that Silicon Knights would do the deed of making either of those games, but that ship has sailed...

And now the most solid software rumor.  Donkey Kong sidescroller for Revolution.  I know most of you would love this, but what it means is both DK and Mario Bros will be vastly different in control, otherwise it would make much better sense to just put Kong in Mario Bros.  It sounds like DK will be a sidescroller according to a few rumors which could confirm that Mario Bros is 3D.   At least we won't be getting another Sunshine.

oh, what the hell, while I'm at it, I'll start my own rumor, RE2rebirth for Revolution; peace.

[implications]

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Nintendo Gaming / The Last Secret, What Ever it is, Will Be Big (link)

« on: March 26, 2006, 03:15:38 PM »

1up


"It's a big deal - the implications and possibilities are pretty incredible. I can't wait for E3!"  - 1up editor Sam Kennedy in response to the following:


"Does Nintendo really have a big secret left?  Hardware related?  Interface related?  Display related?  They have a lot to show at E3 but do they have something major still under wraps that affects software?  Are they buying a company, using a PPU to give their CPU a break, doing something revolutionary with the pad/cradle facial mechanics; stereoscopics to compete with HD?  I don't see any reason in waiting to E3 if it isn't something big, bigger than the controller which they showed last year.  If they really want to blow my mind they would make it so the games we download can all be edited with an intuitive point and click game editor, meaning when you download SMB3, you can take the elements, the sprites, music, animations, etc and create your own game setting up triggers as easily as dropping shortcuts or powerups; furthermore you could take elements from the other 2D SMB games and mix them together.  Plus using the remote one can draw 2D sprites and backgrounds, if you are really hardcore, from scratch to put into the game."

Listen to the podcast.

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Nintendo Gaming / What GO could mean if true

« on: March 24, 2006, 01:20:57 AM »

engaget's article

Most have probably seen this.  The yet to be proven fake or real logo for the system code named Revolution.

Some have speculated it might be Nintendo's online plan.  It has been said it means the number five in japanese.  But do not forget that it is also the name of a board game that I believe the former pres of the company enjoys playing.  

It also suggests portability, action, movement, and the appearance of the letters GO is similar to the way Nintendo designed the DS logo with an image of the dual screens using the letter o at the end of Nintendo.  The image was a pun on the mechanic and if this GO really is the final name of the system, the look of the text for the word GO may give us some hint at what Nintendo has planned at E3.  Did I not read a quote from Iwata yesterday saying the biggest secret has yet to be revealed?  How is that so?  Game On.

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Nintendo Gaming / 1up's new podcast puts Revolution in positive light

« on: March 18, 2006, 08:05:06 PM »

1up's new podcast

Mostly it is about PS3, but towards the end they talk a good bit about Revolution.  Check it out.

They also talk about the PS3 controller.  Hehe.

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Nintendo Gaming / Matt's latest: "Revolution as a console is merely a vehicle for the new controller"

« on: March 07, 2006, 06:03:04 PM »

"Can’t believe that E3 2006 is only a couple of months away. The real debut of Nintendo’s next console and it’s almost here. I call it the real debut because up until now we’ve only seen the hardware and heard countless promises about its potential. That is, when Nintendo isn’t diving head first into marketing speak. Blue ocean. Red waters. All-access gaming. This is a company whose executives need some real games to talk about just so that they can stop repeating themselves.

Luckily, that time is almost here and it’s exciting. I find myself very optimistic about the big show and this is partly true because already I’m seeing active support from various third party publishers. Unexpectedly varied support. Sure, there are the kid games. THQ and Midway have them and, frankly, I expected more. But to my surprise, some third parties have really stepped up. Ubisoft’s mysterious first-person shooter. Activision with a rumored version of Call of Duty that takes full advantage of the Revmote. Midway with a few “grown up” efforts of its own. And smaller studios like Atlus with Trauma Center. This is to say nothing of SEGA’s sweet stuff or Capcom’s sweet stuff. There’s potential here. Lots.

By this time next month, I will have seen and/or played a handful of very promising Revolution games and will in turn have a much better understanding of the software on the horizon. Perhaps I’ll have a vastly different opinion or more likely my current enthusiasm will be validated. Regardless, I always love these periods. You don’t entirely know what to expect, but you’re jazzed about the possibilities.

E3 brings about the end of an era for IGNcube and IGN Revolution. For a couple years now we’ve been writing about a console that doesn’t really exist. We don’t have a previews section on IGN Revolution because there are no detailed/shown games. Oh, we know of a couple dozen titles in development, but we don’t know anything about them. Not really, anyway — except the obvious. I mean, I can tell you that Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles is on the way and that it’ll look good and support the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, but beyond that we enter into the realm of speculation.

E3 changes that. There will be games. They will be playable. And hence, the transition from GameCube to Revolution will be complete. I love my GameCube and I’m looking forward to Zelda. But even so, I’m anticipating the jump.

I’ve been disappointed by Nintendo in the past. I believe it was E3 2004 that Shigeru Miyamoto touted a GCN demo of Pac-Man as the highlight of the Big N’s media briefing. Few in attendance would disagree that Nintendo’s show that year was under-whelming, to put it mildly. But I don’t expect to be disappointed this year.

I think the only people who might find themselves let down are those who still haven’t grasped what Nintendo is going for with Revolution. I read the boards and even now there are posters who still believe Revolution might be able to compete with Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 from a graphic horsepower standpoint. They tell themselves that it has to because Nintendo, IBM and ATI have spent the last five years developing tech.

Revolution will be adequately powerful, but people still holding out for the miracle are setting themselves up for a smack in the face. Power is not the focus here. Revolution as a console is merely a vehicle for the new controller. Think of it this way and you’re going to be happy. I’m going to be writing an editorial very soon that talks about this point.

At the same time, I don’t want to undersell the system’s graphical ability. Games like Resident Evil 4 and Black came about on consoles five years old. Revolution is certainly more capable and therefore the potential for some gorgeous software is there. I’m quite certain that Retro’s Metroid Prime 3 will be a stunner — and it’s going to play like no console game before it.

Can’t wait."



I'll start this show.  

If the "console" is just a vehicle for the controller, well, why do we even need the console; why isn't Nintendo just making the controller for 360 or PS3 or simply partnering with MS or Sony?  Or why aren't Nintendo partnering with someone to help them finance their own console like Apple or EA?

It is not a good thing for the Revolution to be a delivery machine for the controller, it will simply be a gim mick in the eyes of too many consumers; it is dangerous, more dangerous than investing the money into the hardware and software to match polygon and lighting effects standards found on 360 (which will be out a year when the Rev launches and will likely be priced similarly).

Why are Nintendo investing their money into the console being small and portable when the GameCube showed that angle doesn't work (and GCN had a graphical advantage and still failed).  Why aren't Nintendo investing their money in power.  Why do they not match the power of the competition and use the remote as their advantage rather than using it to justify the rehashing of hardware?  Why didn't they just release the remote for GCN?  Even if the tech was at an early stage, lacking the z axis, why didn't they just put gyros in the GCN controllers?

Once again I beg the question, why do we even need the Revolution?  Because Nintendo is holding Zelda hostage?  

25

Nintendo Gaming / The Revolution: the good, the bad, and the ugly

« on: February 26, 2006, 10:51:59 PM »

There are more goods than anything at this point.  Nintendo and their talent to begin with bring a lot to the table noone else can.  There will be lots of Japanese development support I am sure.  Then there is that new controller.  The download service would be great for consumers and not just Nintendo's pockets.  Dev kits are less expensive than PSP kits.  The API is familiar to developers.  Reggie promises to kick some ass with Revolution marketing, so public image can only improve which is good news for the stock.  Nintendo is promising to create new IPs, whether that means an experimental game you can only order online or a new major character driven adventure game from Nintendo to stand beside Metroid, Zelda, and the Brothers Mario is not clear.  There is still a sense of cynicism in gamers and the media about Nintendo actually making some big new franchise games that will entertain the core audience (the people who buy the console for the first two to three years).  It isn't enough to just have sequels to the classics, everyone wants to see a next gen Metroid, but the easiest way to impress gamers and the media is to do something original yet still epic, something with a clean slate.  I point to the success of Halo; a game that generated a lot of word of mouth hype.

The bad:  Depends on who you ask.  Some say the bad is that there is no HD support.  Yet recent Sony rumors say their console won't come near the hype, and the HDDVD/Blue Ray war will actually hurt the game industry overall.  It can be easily argued that higher pixel standards are nothing more than drains on the game hardware.  If you ask me, the bad includes the lack of an ethernet port at this point.  Wifi is nothing new and if America thought wifi was a good idea it would have bought it to begin with but it is hard to sell it to America when they know their neighbors can hack the connection.  America is spread out, thus there aren't hotspots on every corner giving the public free connection.  Honestly I know more people with HDTVs than wifi, I know more people planning to buy a HDTV than wifi, and everyone I have talked to offline is disappointed by the news that there is no ethernet port on the console.  

The ugly:  How large of outdoor areas will be possible with a CPU one fifth the 360's.  How can they do a MMO without a harddrive?  How will we save downloads?  How will we save games?  Will we be allowed a universal friends list!?  Things are merky and Nintendo will not share target videos which should for no reason make them vulnerable to the competition stealing their ideas.  All that is hurt is Nintendo's image if they delay the showing of graphics and then the visuals really do turn out to be a let down.  If the visuals are not an integral part of the strategy of this console then why havn't we seen them.  Even running in 480p without 360's pixel standards it is unclear if Revolution will be able to match the polygon and lighting effects of 360 or will somehow Nintendo's ATI chip miraculously be a drastic improvement over the 360's and yet smaller.  


And then there is something we don't know about.  Coudl it be a packed in screen with the system?  A visor?  A projector?  Would it come across as a g'mick or a real answer to HD that doesn't require double development?  Will it come across like the PSone with its "portability" and screen?  Will it be as "portable" as VBoy?  Can't this just be pushed as a home console?