Topic: Wii Successor and Glassess Free 3D: How Will It Work?

[Kytim89]

With the reveal and eventual release of the 3DS and its glassess free 3D screen, people are already talking about the wii's successor, or the wii 2. Many people are speculating that the wii 2 will have HD style graphics, but Nintendo has always been a game company that always delivers some kind of wow factor to entice people to buy their hardware and software.
 
When the wii was revealed, the wow factor was motion controls. However, looking carefully at the situation it seems as if Nintendo's back is against the wall in regards to their next wow factor for the wii 2. There is no doubt that the wii 2 will incorporate some HD graphical capabilities, but the actual wow factor will possibly be a more advanced version of the 3D found in the 3DS.
 
Hold on a second, wouldn't the wii 2 be unable to implement 3D effects because the older TV screens could not handle the 3D, nor could the consumer afford the 3D televisions that are emerging on the market? Those TV are also not glasses free, right? Nintendo is not about to make its consumers buy a very expensive television just to play its games.
 
There is a soulution to this problem, however. On a recent episode of RFN, host Johnathan Metts mentioned that the wii does not have five years left in its life cycle. But what if it does? Here is my soultion: Nintendo goes to the TV companies with their 3DS and says, "Here is how you make glasses free screens." The TV companies then adopt the technology, perfect the technology and then the market drives the price down for the consumer to buy the TVs. Nintendo would need atleast five years for this plan to work out to frutiton.
 
The end result would be similar to the 3DS, but on a much bigger scale and with HD graphics and higher resolution.

[vudu]

Here is my soultion: Nintendo goes to the TV companies with their 3DS and says, "Here is how you make glasses free screens." The TV companies then adopt the technology, perfect the technology and then the market drives the price down for the consumer to buy the TVs.

Won't work.  It's not that they don't know how to make "glasses free screens".  The problem is you can't make them at a price that consumers are willing to pay.  That, and the effect would only work if the viewer sits in a very specific spot relative to the television.

It works for a handheld because the screens are small and you know where the player will be located relative to the screen.  It won't work for large televisions.

[Kytim89]

Here is my soultion: Nintendo goes to the TV companies with their 3DS and says, "Here is how you make glasses free screens." The TV companies then adopt the technology, perfect the technology and then the market drives the price down for the consumer to buy the TVs.

Won't work.  It's not that they don't know how to make "glasses free screens".  The problem is you can't make them at a price that consumers are willing to pay.  That, and the effect would only work if the viewer sits in a very specific spot relative to the television.

It works for a handheld because the screens are small and you know where the player will be located relative to the screen.  It won't work for large televisions.

Damn! I thought we would have a credible disscussion on the topic.

[MegaByte]

There is TV technology already that can do what you want, but it's not yet cost-effective.  And it's not like Nintendo would need to go to these companies anyway-- they're not the ones who developed the technology in the first place, TV manufacturers did.

[Kytim89]

There is TV technology already that can do what you want, but it's not yet cost-effective.  And it's not like Nintendo would need to go to these companies anyway-- they're not the ones who developed the technology in the first place, TV manufacturers did.

Sharp actually developed the technology, right? The only wow factor besides advanced motion control for the wii 2 is a much more advanced version of the 3DS screen that I can think of right now.

[Ian Sane]

It isn't in Nintendo's best interest to have a console that requires a special TV for its "wow" factor.  Nintendo wants their "wow" feature to be universal and it wouldn't be if regular TVs can't support it.  And Nintendo doesn't make TVs.  Sony is pushing 3D hard because they want people to buy both their videogame console and their TV.

Nintendo will need something else to attract attention to their next console.  I don't know what it will be or even what it could be.  If people now expect Nintendo to bust out something as unique as the Wii remote each time from now on, well, they're kind of screwed.  It just isn't going to happen.  Innovation is rare, not routine.  Most of Nintendo's consoles were very conventional upgrades that just improved everything in a general way.  The N64 and Wii are the only two I would say that had a real "holy ****" factor.  The rest were exciting in their own way but pretty much what people would expect.

The Wii 2 just having increased specs and better graphics and some tweaks and improvements to the controller should be good enough.  I don't know if it really is since people might now expect more.  I don't see how Nintendo can reinvent the wheel every time and we shouldn't expect it.  I wouldn't be surprised if they try really hard to though.  The 3DS certainly has a big "holy ****" factor to it.

[Sarail]

A very slick online interface that's easy to use, but has tons of depth, would be a pretty HUGE advancement for the next console... if you ask me.

That, HD graphical capabilities, and a more evolved controller in the style of the SNES/'Cube days are all I really want for the next console.

Gimmie that and I'll be quite the content Nintendo fan next gen.

[Kytim89]

All of Nintendo's consoles go about a twin evoultionary step. For example:
 
The SNES was an evolutionary step of the NES. The SNES was basically a suped up NES with a redone controller.
 
The N64, which could be considred an evoltionary step of the SNES, and rightfully so, but it was its own seperate console that had its own wow factor: 3D gameplay.
 
The Gamecube could be considered an evoltuionary step of the N64 in the same way the SNES was to the original NES. The controllers for systems were basically the same.
 
The wii stood out among its brethren because it abandoned the traditional controller for a new innovation, motion controls. The wii 2 will be similar to the current wii, but be more advanced in every regards.
 
The biggest question is what will Nintendo do to the wii 2 to make it seem appealing? Suped up graphics and internet connectivity and even advanced motion controls are not apealing enough because the HD successors of the PS360 will have those too. Nintendo always has an ace in the hole and I am curious to see how it turns out.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Revolution (NES)
Evoluition (SNES)
Revolution (N64)
Evolution (GC)
Revolution (RevolutionWii)
Evolution (Wii2?)

I just think that as long as it upgrades the visuals to 1080p standard, lots of onboard memory(HDD), ram, vastly improved online and a Wiimote2.0(CCPro2.10 bundled in too), Wii2 should be just fine.

The system will probably also support 3D, so whatever 3D capable TV you have should work fine with it.

[Kytim89]

Revolution (NES)
Evoluition (SNES)
Revolution (N64)
Evolution (GC)
Revolution (RevolutionWii)
Evolution (Wii2?)

I just think that as long as it upgrades the visuals to 1080p standard, lots of onboard memory(HDD), ram, vastly improved online and a Wiimote2.0(CCPro2.10 bundled in too), Wii2 should be just fine.

The system will probably also support 3D, so whatever 3D capable TV you have should work fine with it.

Here is the problem with the wii 2 having 3D: Will be able to afford a 3D television? Unless Nintendo has found a way to bypass 3D onto a SD TV? As ludicrous as it sounds, I would not put anything past them in regards to research. Unless it is 3D lite?
 
The other question I have is whether it is time for an HD Nintendo console? Is the cost just right yet? Secondly, will it be called the "Wii 2"?

[BeautifulShy]

Revolution (NES)
Evoluition (SNES)
Revolution (N64)
Evolution (GC)
Revolution (RevolutionWii)
Evolution (Wii2?)

I just think that as long as it upgrades the visuals to 1080p standard, lots of onboard memory(HDD), ram, vastly improved online and a Wiimote2.0(CCPro2.10 bundled in too), Wii2 should be just fine.

The system will probably also support 3D, so whatever 3D capable TV you have should work fine with it.

Hmm while that is pretty true BlackNMIld in the past but what if Nintendo doesn't go down the Evolutionary path with the Wii successor? Microsoft and Sony I think will go towards the evolutionary path with Move and Kinect. So why would Nintendo do the evolutionary path when this gen the revolutionary path has worked so well for them?

[Kytim89]

What is the difference between the terms "evolution" and "revolution"? I do think that the next Nintendo home console will be in the evolution category in the same vein as the move and kinet services are going to be in this generation and the nest. The best thing for Nintendo to do is to watch move and kinect closely and learn from whatever succes and failure those services provide and then boost the footing that the wii has established for them.
 
 

[BlackNMild2k1]

 
One of Nintendo's biggest mistake this time around was not leaving enough extra horsepower to add to the Wii experience down the line. That oversight left internet slightly crippled and WiiSpeak as a broken experience. The other was not having a unified structure for all the software to work on. If they fix those oversights, combine the M+ into an improved Wiimote2.0, add camera tracking of some sort, put the camera, wiispeak and the sensorbar into one item and then add Internal Mass Storage of any kind, they can add whatever other gimmick they want(so long as it is optional).

What is the difference between the terms "evolution" and "revolution"? I do think that the next Nintendo home console will be in the evolution category in the same vein as the move and kinet services are going to be in this generation and the nest. The best thing for Nintendo to do is to watch move and kinect closely and learn from whatever succes and failure those services provide and then boost the footing that the wii has established for them.

Evolution would be a refinement of the previous work
Revolution would be something new to change it all up.

NES (Revolution = side crolling environments & savior of home gaming)
SNES (Evolution = prettier 2D sidescrolling & Mode 7 layered scrolling)
N64 (Revolution = 3D polygonal games & analog control)
GC (Evolution= prettier 3D games & smaller form factor)
Wii (Revolution = Motion/Pointer Controls & Virtual Console/WiiWare)
Wii2 (Evolution? = Prettier Motion control games & everything that the Wii (&PS360) did only much much better... and then some)

[Kytim89]

To add credibility to the notion of the wii 2 being a more powerful evolutionary step for the wii brand, the Gamecube was basically a more powerful version of the N64.
 
Will the next console be called the "Wii 2"? The answer would be yes. First, it is a quick and easy answer to naming the console. Second, by naming it the wii 2, Nintendo is allowing the one hundred million plus wii owners to make the transition to the bigger, meaner console.
 
Can a Nintendo console both revolutionize the industry while at the same evolve it? What I am saying is could the wii 2 simultaneously evolve the motion control standard while revolutionizing graphical standard with whatever 3D they might/are going to implement into the wii 2.
 
No matter how good of a reception move and kinect recieve from the industry, I always see Nintendo spear heading the evolution of motion controls because they cracked that egg first way back in 2006.

[nickmitch]

It won't be called Wii2.

[Sarail]

Keep WiiSpeak far FAR away from my next Nintendo console.  I want a headset.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Keep WiiSpeak far FAR away from my next Nintendo console.  I want a headset.

There no one saying you can't have both.

I would really like a (3D)Motion Camera/Sensor Bar/WiiSpeak combo peripheral.
Also a Wiimote2.0 with a bluetooth/plug-in headset option

[Sarail]

Hah, I suppose that's true! Look at me making a biased statement against WiiSpeak... oopsie.

I agree, though. It would definitely be great to have the entire thing built into one package.  Just... give me a fantastic online service to go with it!

[Kytim89]

The biggest threat to Nintendo's motion control reign is Sony's Move. Sony is hoping to appeal to the people who own a wii and like motin controls and convince them that motion controls with high definition graphics is a good thing. Nintendo needs to make the wii 2 as powerful as possible without making it too expensive to keep this from happening.
 
Kinect, on the other hand, seems to be a moderate threat, but the idea of not using a controller seems too strange to be implemented into gaming. A physical controller has, and always, will be part of gaming. Nintendo has to prove why we will always need a controller to compete with whatever the Kinect service gains in the next couple of years.
 
I do see Nintendo taking what ever works from this technology and making their wiimote 2 controller better.

[Ian Sane]

The biggest question is what will Nintendo do to the wii 2 to make it seem appealing? Suped up graphics and internet connectivity and even advanced motion controls are not apealing enough because the HD successors of the PS360 will have those too.

Honestly for me this is exactly what would make it seem appealing.  It's like the Wii only it isn't restricted by last-gen hardware.  As successful as the Wii has been it has a LOT of annoying stupid bullshit and a polished Wii without the restrictions sounds very appealing.  But I don't know if non-gamers would eat that up.  This is more something that would appeal to people who found the Wii to be a disappointment.
 
Nintendo mentioned with the 3DS that they're trying to make things a little more serious (or something like that, can't remember the specific quote).  They implied that they've gone a little too far to the casual non-gamer side and need to move things back more towards the middle to appeal to more dedicated gamers.  So they could have a similar idea with the Wii 2.  The Wii was successful but has been branded more or less as the casual focused console.  So maybe now the plan is to make it appealing to core gamers as well and get everyone on board, not just one group or the other.  That's the vibe they gave me with the 3DS - that they were thrilled to have girls and grandmas but didn't want the DS brand to be associated strictly with that demographic.  Though that might just be because of competition from Apple, who will have the casuals locked up, and they want to be seen as the more dedicated gaming option.
 
It is in Nintendo's best interest to have a true everyone console.  Not a casual console, not a hardcore console, an EVERYONE console.
 
I think what's most important for Nintendo in getting people on board with the Wii 2 is to have some killer app that draws like Wii Sports did.  That's a big challenge though.

[broodwars]

Well, a good first start would be for Nintendo to not piss off every 3rd party developer who would want to work on Wii 2.  For example, how about not putting out an asinine controller design that was designed for 1-2 Nintendo-developed titles that then everyone else has to tailor their game designs to try and use?  We saw this with the Wii: the Wii Remote was designed for Nintendo games and Nintendo games only, and everyone else had to implement stupid tricks like waggle to try to shoe-horn more-traditional games on it.  "But Broodwars", you say, "what about the classic controller?!"  What about it?  Nintendo barely supported the thing outside of the Virtual Console and made little effort to sell it so a large number of Wii owners had it.  Hell, they don't really support the Nunchuck much better, and that actually came in the box.  3rd Parties were left to try to either badly simplify their designs and shoe-horn traditional controls into bad motion motion controls; completely redesign their titles around barely-working motion controls; or gamble on the relatively few users who had the Classic Controller.
 
Nintendo has a lot of things to prove with Wii 2 to 3rd Parties, and a more standard controller design that allows for traditional and motion controls is just the beginning.  The machine has to have a solid online structure and strong system specs, and Nintendo has to make it clear that 3rd Parties are not just an afterthought to them while they count their mountains of money.

[Kytim89]

In order to appeal to the hardcore market, the wii 2 needs one thing and that is mature titles. I am not saying that Nintendo needs to make mature games, but the titles need to be made and become successful on the console. I mean I am 21-years-old and I prefer all types of games because I have a wide range of interests. Nintendo needs to appeal more to my/our age group and not just the casuals to be successful with the wii 2.
 
I would bet that Nintendo has secretly met with developers and consulted with them about how to design the next controller. Could Nintendo releases a more traditionalcontroller along side an upgraded wiimote?

[Sarail]

I still think they're going to design an all-in-one controller device that handles all functions properly and effectively.  It's possible... and if there's one company out there who can come up with the design for it... it's Nintendo.

[Ian Sane]

In order to appeal to the hardcore market, the wii 2 needs one thing and that is mature titles.

I think they need third party support.  You're the fucking MARKET LEADER and yet pretty much any well regarded game that you yourself didn't make comes out on every single console EXCEPT yours?  Come on!
 
It isn't about blood and guts or swearing or sex and boobs or guns and space marines.  It's about games.  Who's got the games that people want to play?  If you want to play Nintendo games the Wii is your obvious choice.  If you want to play kids games the Wii is your obvious choice.  If you want to play casual titles the Wii is your obvious choice.  But this sort of narrow variety has been Nintendo's problem with hardcore gamers since the N64.  Some people are interested in a specific genre, some in specific themes or settings, and some just want a great sampling of everything.  You can only get that with good third party support because that naturally creates variety and thus covers as many bases as possible.  Nintendo can't provide variety on their own because they're just one company.  They just don't get certain types of games and that isn't a jab at them, that's how it is for any single company.  The variety comes from the group of independent companies all contributing to the console's library.

[Morari]

It isn't about blood and guts or swearing or sex and boobs or guns and space marines.

All of the most popular, best selling console games disagree with you.