Topic: The OFFICIAL Big N rumor thread *bring your own salt*

[broodwars]

I agree, sales have no bearing on the amount of effort that was originally put into it, so if you are trying to decide on what is an "A" "B" or "C" quality effort, then you shouldn't have to wait until 1 month after release to do so.

Except that sales do have a bearing on the effort put into a game.  Game studios decide the budget of their projects (especially marketing) based on what kind of sales they can expect that project to return.  If the game is an old IP, they base the budget off the sales of the last installment and how much they can expect to grow those for the sequel.  If the game is a new IP, they base it off sales of similar-type games in the marketplace.

[stevey]

Just remember that the Tegra chip is very energy efficient (1 watt), scalable and based off the ARM design.
Nintendo doesn't have to have Nvidia manufacture the chip, just provide a custom design of it (based on Tegra which is built on ARM) that is 100% backwards compatible with the current ARM7/9 that is in the DS/i right now.

That why it is bad idea. nVidia can't design anything right. nVidia fucked up their last 4 generations of Graphics cards and their newest DX11 cards were delayed due to them having horrible yield and extremely high rates of failure.

[BlackNMild2k1]

But this is system-on-a-chip and is already being used in other products with good results.
It's being used in Zune HD and a few other products that don't come to mind right now and are completely separate from the troubles that we know you(and several other companies) have been having with the shoddy graphic cards they have been manufacturing.

Tegra is a whole different beast and only uses 1watt of power to produce all the things it does. It should not be over heating and Nintendo will be overseeing anything that they do with them, so there should be no design flaws or wasted potential in the pipe-line.

But you miss the point that if they only put in a "B" grade effort on a "B" grade budget ut still manages to sell 4 million copies, it's still a "B" grade game. IF they put in an "AAA" effort on a "AAA" budget but only sold 4 copies, that doesn't make it a "F" grade game, it just makes it a "AAA" game that more than bombed at retail.

Sales do not reflect the quality of the effort when judging what kind of game it is. A "AAA" game is a "AAA" game whether everyone buys it or not. Babiez is a "C" grade game on a "D" grade budget that managed to sell over 1 million copies.... does that make it a "A" grade game now? of course not.

[BlackNMild2k1]

RE: Nintendo's Tegra based DS2

There really isn't anything new with Theo's leak; you'll find more info on this forum when me and/or Ailuros hint about it, really... And his speculation doesn't make any sense anyway.

As I said before, it's nearly certainly a 40nm *custom* SoC based on Tegra2 IP (DX9-level like Tegra1) and a single Cortex-A9 with FPU. Tegra1 has 2 TMUs, Tegra2 probably has 4 TMUs. It'd be a relatively safe bet to assume they're going to stick to that, but who knows. I also have no clue about what kind of multimedia system Nintendo might have asked for.

Semi-reliable insider with some knowledge on the situation. I don't know what all that means, but it sounds really good. I hope it's all true.

[ShyGuy]

A 40 nanometer system on a chip based on the second version of the Tegra intellectual property (which apparently has 3D capabilities simillar to Windows DirectX 9?) and an ARM single core A9 processor with a floating point unit (math coprocessor) the first Tegra had two texture mapping units and this new one has four.

From what I understand:

- system on a chip means one chip does the work of many. Instead of having a seperate drive controller, I/O controller, graphics processor, it's all in one chip.

- DirectX9 level on portable is impressive.

- the FPU helps with 3D calculations

- Four texture mapping units sounds like we are finally geting hardware T&L to me. This makes it easier for developers to implement bump mapping, dynamic lighting, etc.

I'm a novice when it comes to graphics hardware, but it sounds like this is going to have "shaders", which could conceivably make better graphics than the Wii.

[Stratos]

...but it sounds like this is going to have "shaders", which could conceivably make better graphics than the Wii.

Wii 2 is a portable system? Or, an even more interesting an idea: Wii2 is DS2 and it can act as both a hand-held and a TV console. I think similar ideas have been batted around in the past regarding a dual portable-console system.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Buy one for the house and one for everyone(in your household) one to take on the go. 250million sold.

More likely that games from the home system will be able to scale down to be played on the portable and vice versa. Imagine playing a HD game of Animal Crossing on your 60" HDTV, but needing to go on a road trip to grandma's house. Now you just transfer your entire game over to your portable which down scales the graphics to fit the DS2 resolution and adjust the controls so you can carry on like you never quit playing.

I don't really know what to expect from Nintendo, but I have full faith that they have a plan and know exactly what they are trying to achieve and how to achieve it. Either way, it's always fun to speculate.

[Stratos]

I just fear that Nintendo would force you to buy two copies of the same game. One for the road and one for the couch. Sure, data could be shared between them, but I'll bet they would charge for both versions.

[ShyGuy]

here are some videos showing off the Tegra http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/17/nvidias-tegra-in-the-flesh-booting-to-android-and-pumping-out/

[EasyCure]

...but it sounds like this is going to have "shaders", which could conceivably make better graphics than the Wii.

Wii 2 is a portable system? Or, an even more interesting an idea: Wii2 is DS2 and it can act as both a hand-held and a TV console. I think similar ideas have been batted around in the past regarding a dual portable-console system.

God thats been my dream for the longest time. Even if it's still two seperate consoles (one home, one portable with its own games), the ability to use one to play the others games would be like a utopian age in video games in my opinion. So many times I wish i could pause in the middle of my long Rune Factory Frontier session, upload it on to my DS and take it on the go with me.. even if its just to another room! The opposite holds true as well, as there are many times where I want to play a DS game but don't want to be hunched over those tiny screens and get a handcramp an hour in from holding the small device.. being able to transmit the game to my Wii and play it on my television from the comfort of a bed or couch would be a dream come true.

Its kinda sad that the PSP GO is the closest we've come to this, but instead of just downloading your ps3 game to it you have to rebuy a watered down version of the same game.

[broodwars]

...but it sounds like this is going to have "shaders", which could conceivably make better graphics than the Wii.

Wii 2 is a portable system? Or, an even more interesting an idea: Wii2 is DS2 and it can act as both a hand-held and a TV console. I think similar ideas have been batted around in the past regarding a dual portable-console system.

God thats been my dream for the longest time. Even if it's still two seperate consoles (one home, one portable with its own games), the ability to use one to play the others games would be like a utopian age in video games in my opinion.

So in other words, what you've been dreaming of is the PS3 and PSP, with their "remote play" capabilities?  Granted, it's limited right now but it's a good start if you've into the kind of games both platforms offer.

[Louieturkey]

...but it sounds like this is going to have "shaders", which could conceivably make better graphics than the Wii.

More like the Turbo Graphix 16 and Turbo Express.  Same game card could be played in either device.  His dream is to have something from 1991.

Wii 2 is a portable system? Or, an even more interesting an idea: Wii2 is DS2 and it can act as both a hand-held and a TV console. I think similar ideas have been batted around in the past regarding a dual portable-console system.

God thats been my dream for the longest time. Even if it's still two seperate consoles (one home, one portable with its own games), the ability to use one to play the others games would be like a utopian age in video games in my opinion.

So in other words, what you've been dreaming of is the PS3 and PSP, with their "remote play" capabilities?  Granted, it's limited right now but it's a good start if you've into the kind of games both platforms offer.

[EasyCure]

...but it sounds like this is going to have "shaders", which could conceivably make better graphics than the Wii.

Wii 2 is a portable system? Or, an even more interesting an idea: Wii2 is DS2 and it can act as both a hand-held and a TV console. I think similar ideas have been batted around in the past regarding a dual portable-console system.

God thats been my dream for the longest time. Even if it's still two seperate consoles (one home, one portable with its own games), the ability to use one to play the others games would be like a utopian age in video games in my opinion.

So in other words, what you've been dreaming of is the PS3 and PSP, with their "remote play" capabilities?  Granted, it's limited right now but it's a good start if you've into the kind of games both platforms offer.

This post was useless since i admitted as much at the end of my post...
But yeah, as you mentioned its limited now and unfortunately I don't have much interest in their game line-up. The last PSP game I heard about that I thought "man, i'd love to play that game; too bad I don't have a psp" was Maverick Hunter X...

[broodwars]

...but it sounds like this is going to have "shaders", which could conceivably make better graphics than the Wii.

Wii 2 is a portable system? Or, an even more interesting an idea: Wii2 is DS2 and it can act as both a hand-held and a TV console. I think similar ideas have been batted around in the past regarding a dual portable-console system.

God thats been my dream for the longest time. Even if it's still two seperate consoles (one home, one portable with its own games), the ability to use one to play the others games would be like a utopian age in video games in my opinion.

So in other words, what you've been dreaming of is the PS3 and PSP, with their "remote play" capabilities?  Granted, it's limited right now but it's a good start if you've into the kind of games both platforms offer.

This post was useless since i admitted as much at the end of my post...
But yeah, as you mentioned its limited now and unfortunately I don't have much interest in their game line-up. The last PSP game I heard about that I thought "man, i'd love to play that game; too bad I don't have a psp" was Maverick Hunter X...

Actually, what you mentioned was the PSP Go, which is a whole different beast from the normal PSP and PS3.

[EasyCure]

...but it sounds like this is going to have "shaders", which could conceivably make better graphics than the Wii.

Wii 2 is a portable system? Or, an even more interesting an idea: Wii2 is DS2 and it can act as both a hand-held and a TV console. I think similar ideas have been batted around in the past regarding a dual portable-console system.

God thats been my dream for the longest time. Even if it's still two seperate consoles (one home, one portable with its own games), the ability to use one to play the others games would be like a utopian age in video games in my opinion.

So in other words, what you've been dreaming of is the PS3 and PSP, with their "remote play" capabilities?  Granted, it's limited right now but it's a good start if you've into the kind of games both platforms offer.

This post was useless since i admitted as much at the end of my post...
But yeah, as you mentioned its limited now and unfortunately I don't have much interest in their game line-up. The last PSP game I heard about that I thought "man, i'd love to play that game; too bad I don't have a psp" was Maverick Hunter X...

Actually, what you mentioned was the PSP Go, which is a whole different beast from the normal PSP and PS3.

Well being disinterested in the PSP in general, i've very little knowledge on the pspGo aside from the fact its doesnt take UMD's anymore.

[broodwars]

...but it sounds like this is going to have "shaders", which could conceivably make better graphics than the Wii.

Wii 2 is a portable system? Or, an even more interesting an idea: Wii2 is DS2 and it can act as both a hand-held and a TV console. I think similar ideas have been batted around in the past regarding a dual portable-console system.

God thats been my dream for the longest time. Even if it's still two seperate consoles (one home, one portable with its own games), the ability to use one to play the others games would be like a utopian age in video games in my opinion.

So in other words, what you've been dreaming of is the PS3 and PSP, with their "remote play" capabilities?  Granted, it's limited right now but it's a good start if you've into the kind of games both platforms offer.

This post was useless since i admitted as much at the end of my post...
But yeah, as you mentioned its limited now and unfortunately I don't have much interest in their game line-up. The last PSP game I heard about that I thought "man, i'd love to play that game; too bad I don't have a psp" was Maverick Hunter X...

Actually, what you mentioned was the PSP Go, which is a whole different beast from the normal PSP and PS3.

Well being disinterested in the PSP in general, i've very little knowledge on the pspGo aside from the fact its doesnt take UMD's anymore.

You can also program it to accept the Dualshock 3 as a controller, so you can play games using that (which must be rather awkward having to prop the handheld up somewhere and play while leaning close to see what's going on).

[EasyCure]

that just seems pointless

[BlackNMild2k1]

that just seems pointless

It's not about whether or not it makes sense to do it or not, it's the fact that they give you the option to do it if you want.

[EasyCure]

Oh thats right, options are a god send (even the stupid ones)

[BlackNMild2k1]

Since we are on the topic of specualting about whats to be used in a DS2, how sweet would it be if Nintendo went with >>THIS<< to replace the current screens?

[Deguello]

I dunno, that's got a pretty obvious and pronounced ridge in the middle.  What's the wear and tear on that thing, because I don't think Nintendo is interested is something that would break easily.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I dunno, that's got a pretty obvious and pronounced ridge in the middle.  What's the wear and tear on that thing, because I don't think Nintendo is interested is something that would break easily.

Have you seen the "obvious and pronounced" gap on the current models of the DS?

This would be a MAJOR step in rectifying that inconvenience. It would also open up the door for 1 giant touch screen. Imagine the improvement on certain types of games if you can play the game in the middle of the screen with the options around the top & bottom edges of the screen.

[Deguello]

Hey the DS has two perfectly good screens.  This thing has the electronic screen with a crack in it, put there, on purpose, so it can fold.  notice how the folding is done by a machine.  Why not have the humans demonstrator fold it, like we would?

This is just a wear and tear issue.  How many times can the screen be folded before the colors bleed?  If I (or a child) closes it too fast, will the screen crack?  I'm all for advancement, but not at the expense of durability.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I'm focusing on the idea of using a single giant folding touch screen, Nintendo will worry about the durability of such a technology.

Who cares if theres a barely noticeable seam in the middle. Right now there is a 1/2 inch gap between the 2 screens which can be a little disorienting for some.
I vote for one giant (but durable) folding touch screen that meets play testing standards.

That with the Tegra chip and Nintendo would have just entered into the High-end/low-cost consumer electronics arena, and that would be a direct threat to Sony while not alienating it's core audience.

edit:
Not to mention the possibilities with connectivity with the Wii2. 1 giant foldable touch screen would mean alot towards what is possible in the future.

[Adrock]

They can start by making the screens glass and adding an accelerometer. I would hate for Nintendo to launch a new handheld in 2010. I just bought a DSi and since I'm a new hardware whore... I'd probably be drawn to it even though Nintendo will just launch a new version on a year and a half.