Topic: Wii U - e3 is over... now what?

[NWR_insanolord]

I really hope third parties don't just treat the Wii U as a way of selling the same HD games that have been available elsewhere for this whole generation to a new group of people. A little of that is fine, but I'd much rather have original content.

If you want to play Mass Effect, or any other HD console game not available for Wii, go buy a 360 or PS3. There is plenty of exclusive content worth owning on those platforms to make them worth the cost of admission. Don't wait for another round of last-gen ports on the Wii U that I really hope doesn't happen.

[ThePerm]

how about a mass effect trilogy game? Wii U discs are large enough for such a thing. Also, what a deal that would be?!

[Chozo Ghost]

If you want to play Mass Effect, or any other HD console game not available for Wii, go buy a 360 or PS3.

Not everyone can afford more than one console or wants to deal with the clutter of more than one. A lot of video gamers are kids and teens who don't have income so they only get what their parents buy for them. Would parents be willing to buy a second console for little Jimmy just for the sake of one game? Being able to play any game you want on one single console is ideal.

And as a Nintendo fan, I would like that console to be a Nintendo console if possible. Unfortunately, since Nintendo has been missing out on many hit 3rd party titles over the last 2-3 generations a lot of catching up is necessary. This catching up depends on the titles that the Wii missed out on being made available on the Wii U (hopefully with bonus material as compensation for making us wait).

[Adrock]

In some instances, I wouldn't mind Wii U getting ports of HD games that have been available on PS3 and 360 for years, specific series with running storylines like Mass Effect where the experience is hampered if you don't play all of them. If there was a way EA/Bioware can bring the entire Mass Effect series to Wii U, I'd welcome it with open arms. I don't think it's worth bringing over any other way because starting at 2 or 3 affects one's enjoyment of the product which may lead to an unfavorable impression of the series and developer. That, ultimately, affects Wii U support sales in the future.

Ideally, what I want to see from 3rd parties on Wii U are simultaneous releases of big titles. There won't be too many 3rd party exclusives but I can get my fill of Wii U-only content from Nintendo themselves. Even though I own a PS3, I want to be able to pick up a Wii U version of a brand new game.

[Ian Sane]

Ports of older PS360 games are only going to appeal to devoted Nintendo nuts that stuck with just the Wii this entire time.  Almost no one who owns another system is going to buy those.  If the Wii U only appeals to existing Wii-only owners then it has failed.  Nintendo wants to spread out beyond that group.  So I think it's important that the focus be on new multiplatform games.

Of course multiplatform games alone won't convert many PS360 owners; there will need to be exclusives to do that.  And Nintendo will be the main producer of exclusives.  Do you know what that means?  THEY have to appeal to core gamers too.  They can't just have Wii U Sports and Wii U Fit and figure the third parties will pick up the core gamer slack.  The third parties won't provide exclusives so for core gamers the Wii U will be superflous.  Nintendo has to create their own games to get core gamers to switch and the multiplatform third party games just keep the core gamers around

[BlackNMild2k1]

Ports of older PS360 games are only going to appeal to devoted Nintendo nuts that stuck with just the Wii this entire time.

And those of us that just couldn't justify owning 2 or more systems regardless of the game selection not coming to the system they own.

[Stogi]

I'm not so sure Ian. I'm sure a lot of people will buy it again if it comes with all the DLC and updated graphixx.

[Ceric]

I personally would prefer getting enhanced ports of:

1) Single Games that are notable and hard to find
2) Series together in their entirety.

Like I probably buy a complete collection of Devil May Cry enhanced for Wii U.  Perfect Dark Super Zero... Etc.

[ThePerm]

I wonder how easy it is to port games? I don't really know whats behind Wii U, but from all indications its related to the other guys systems and better. Usually that makes porting a breeze. Also, yeah I would take all sorts of anthology games of games i missed last generation. Microsoft ownes Gears of War, and I actually really loved the first one, so we won't get that, but it would be great to have a package of all three games. Or the Assassins Creed games?

[Ceric]

New Monster Hunter be nice and while we are talking Monster  a Complete Monster Rancher collection from Tecmo.   Actually just give a Redo of Monster Rancher 2 or better yet 3 or 4 with the Monster Self questing of 2.   Because you know I hate wondering with my monster but I like sending them on missions.

[Chozo Ghost]

People would be more likely to buy old multiplatform games on the Wii U if they were updated or enhanced to make them a more desirable purchase. Look at how well RE4 did on the Wii even though it was released a year or two earlier on the GC and PS2. It was the definitive version of the game which was superior in every respect, so even though it was previously released on other systems it was still a big hit on the Wii.

[Kytim89]

People would be more likely to buy old multiplatform games on the Wii U if they were updated or enhanced to make them a more desirable purchase. Look at how well RE4 did on the Wii even though it was released a year or two earlier on the GC and PS2. It was the definitive version of the game which was superior in every respect, so even though it was previously released on other systems it was still a big hit on the Wii.

I would rebuy Resident Evil 4 on the Wii U if it retained the pointer controls but added HD graphics. The same goes for Resident Evil 5. The only problem would be how much would Nintendo and third parties charge for these older games? They could get away with atleast $39.99 for year-old games with enhancements, but anything beyond three years is not going to go above $19.99.

[broodwars]

Considering Capcom's too lazy to add Move support to their HD re-release of Resident Evil 4 (which I would have purchased if it had), I wouldn't bank on pointer-controlled Resident Evil 4 or 5 Wii U ports.

As for the Wii version of Resident Evil 4, I think it had several big factors in its favor:

1.  It was and still is the best version of that game.  It's one of the very few games on Wii where I can say that the game was actually made better by the addition of motion controls.

2.  The game hadn't been re-released on the 360 or PS3.

3.  If you were a shooter fan on Wii, really what were you going to buy that summer?  I don't think Metroid Prime 3 had released yet, so that left us what...Red Steel?

4.  The Wii audience hadn't yet completely abandoned the idea of purchasing 3rd party Wii games yet.

I wouldn't bank on there being mad sales for a Wii U version of RE5, as RE5 has had a rather cool reception on the HD consoles.  It sold well at first, but just about everyone you can ask will tell you that the game is a significant step backwards from RE4.  Capcom may very well do such a port, but I doubt the game would have much in the way of sales legs.

[ThePerm]

Considering Capcom's too lazy to add Move support to their HD re-release of Resident Evil 4 (which I would have purchased if it had), I wouldn't bank on pointer-controlled Resident Evil 4 or 5 Wii U ports.

capcom needed an incentive to re-release it again.....

[Chozo Ghost]

4.  The Wii audience hadn't yet completely abandoned the idea of purchasing 3rd party Wii games yet.

Did they ever? The 3rd party support was just never there... unless you count casual crapware like Carnival Games and so on... We never got the "cool" 3rd party games like red dead redemption, batman arkham asylum, street fighter IV, Mass Effect, Fallout 3, Borderlands, Grand Theft Auto, etc. How can it be said we abandoned the idea of purchasing these games when the option to purchase them was never even there?

[broodwars]

We never got the "cool" 3rd party games like red dead redemption, batman arkham asylum, street fighter IV, Mass Effect, Fallout 3, Borderlands, Grand Theft Auto, etc.

None of those games could have run on the Wii.  Period.  That's why the Wii never got them.  Like Ian once said, (perhaps in this very thread), it's like complaining the NES didn't get versions of Sega Genesis games.  It was just a technical impossibility.  That didn't stop Capcom from trying, though, with that Dead Rising Wii port, which reportedly sucked because the game was scaled down so much that it wasn't even fun anymore.  If you don't like that, blame Nintendo for being cheap and short-sighted when they designed the Wii's specs.

[Chozo Ghost]

None of those games could have run on the Wii.  Period.

Not even Street Fighter IV? Seriously? Its on the 3DS and Iphone for crying out loud.

COD Black Ops came to the Wii, so there's really no excuse. Yes, some sacrifices have to be made, but the point is that it can be done.

[broodwars]

Given the 3DS/iOS version of SF4, a Wii version probably could have been made (though I wonder what concessions would have to be made to deal with the Wii being less capable in some respects to modern phones), but at that point Capcom probably didn't think it was worth it, the Wii being the bastion of 3rd party sales that it is.  But still, unlike most of the games on your list, Street Fighter 4 is not the most taxing game in the world to run, as it's a fairly standard 2D fighter that uses 3D models.  It's not a good comparison to put that up against all these larger games.

As for Black Ops, that's a narrow corridor-based shooting gallery that spawns enemies in small numbers to get gunned down in rapid succession and removed from memory.  It's nowhere near as taxing on the hardware as something like Fallout 3 or Red Dead Redemption, which if they were on the Wii would look like Silent Hill given all the fog that would have to be in play.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Ubisoft has LOTS of good things to say about WiiU
"the graphical quality is top notch" i sjust one of many compliments thrown WiiU's way
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/314051/features/wii-u-why-ubisofts-is-nintendos-biggest-supporter/
Just a few choice quotes (it's a long article)

Finally, a technical architect takes to the stage. He talks about multi-core architecture and explains how memory capacity brings performance enhancements to an already stonking HD game engine. He talks about graphical shaders, increased cache sizes, pre-calculated data and natural extensions of dev-friendly API. In layman's terms: "the graphical quality is top notch". What's wrong with this picture? He's talking about a Nintendo machine.

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"We've used the accelerometer feature. If you move very fast the game will know and adjust movement speed. Those familiar with FPSes know how difficult it is to go around 180 degrees. With these new controls it is a thing of the past."

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Ricour describes GhostNet as a handheld window into online activity. "Through the touch pad, our fans will always be connected at home with their social network and with the activities happening in the game. It's always on, even if your TV is off." At its heart is a live feed of friend activity, their in-game progress, achievements and online activity.

A mock-up depicts options to invite players to parties or ping their controller to tell them to boot up the game. Gone are the days of trying to corral mates with text messages and forum meet-ups - an electronic call to arms lets us instigate combat any time we want.

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Killer Freaks and Ghost Recon Online are fine looking games. Especially with potentially 18 months of development to go (both are scheduled for Wii U launch). But for lovers of shiny things, all eyes are on Assassin's Creed. Ubisoft won't divulge which Assassin's Creed game is sneaking Wii U's way - a fresh outing or an anthology of previous games? - but promise it'll look sexy. Marc Parenteau, a technical architect from Ubisoft Quebec (he worked on Prince Of Persia: Forgotten Sands), Wii U is more than able to handle the visually intensive open world stab-'em-up.

"The multi-core architecture of the console is a natural fit for our in-house HD engines, such as the Anvil engine used in Assassin's Creed," he explains. "In addition, the large memory capacity of the console will be used to bring performance enhancements, such as pre-calculating data or increasing our cache sizes."

To put it in context, he says that "Assassin's Creed has a distinctive look and we want to get it just right. I'm happy to say that all the graphical shaders we used in development are fully functional." He's tight lipped on specifics - Nintendo see to that - but paints a pretty promising picture.

Sounds very promising.


Also in othr WiiU related news;

DiRT & F1 are confirmed to be coming to WiiU

We will be doing Dirt and F1 for Wii U.

Source

2 more games in the pipe

[Enner]

Ah, DIRT and F1. That's very nice. What would be nicer is GRID 2. With Forza on the Xbox and Gran Turismo on Playstation, a GRID 2 on Wii U might have a better chance of making a name for itself.

[Chozo Ghost]

Sounds very promising.

Yes it does.

But blowing every existing system out of the water is only half the equation. I am still concerned about what Sony and Microsoft have up their sleeves in their future consoles. I know they are going to be more powerful than the Wii U because they will come out a year or two after it, but the question is by how much?

[Caterkiller]

Sounds very promising.

Yes it does.

But blowing every existing system out of the water is only half the equation. I am still concerned about what Sony and Microsoft have up their sleeves in their future consoles. I know they are going to be more powerful than the Wii U because they will come out a year or two after it, but the question is by how much?

All I can think of is the year gap between PS3 and the 360, and from my point of view the PS3 has no leaps over the 360. They get all the same games and thats all that really matter to me. Still though it does make one wonder, but it would be impossible for a another Wii to PS360 situation again.

God I am so excited for that controller!

[Ceric]

I'm happy to hear talks of Memory.  I'm hoping they bump up to basic computer which is 4gig.

[Ian Sane]

But blowing every existing system out of the water is only half the equation. I am still concerned about what Sony and Microsoft have up their sleeves in their future consoles. I know they are going to be more powerful than the Wii U because they will come out a year or two after it, but the question is by how much?

That is very important.  But at the very least Nintendo didn't screw up the easy part.  They didn't merely match the PS3 which is what we were all concerned about.  They had to go beyond and they did that, so at least they got that right.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I'm happy to hear talks of Memory.  I'm hoping they bump up to basic computer which is 4gig.

I would be happy with 1.5GB of RAM, there is no way 4GB is gonna happen.
Console RAM is much different than PC RAM in that it has lower power consumption, lower latency and things like that which make it more expensive than the store shelf stuff you would buy for your PC/Laptop.

I think Sony may be the only one crazy enough to attempt (anything near) 4GB RAM, but that's only if they want a $600 system again. Even still, I wouldn't expect any next-gen system (720 & PS4) to go higher than 2.5GB (most likely 2GB) in several different layouts.

It all comes down to efficiency, and with no bloated OS and dozens of background apps to run in the background, there really isn't a need for 4 GBs of RAM in the next gen systems.
Unless of course Sony really is trying to support 4k resolutions... and then 1 up Nintendo on the Tablet controller front (4 streaming HD controllers) while also trying to be a HTPC and a set-top box and then improve upon Move & Kinect and... and.... and....