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

[Kytim89]

Just because you can put a hard drive in the system, that doesn't aid piracy in *ANY* fashion. The Wii doesn't support hard drives - yet you can softmod your Wii, install a USB HDD, and run downloaded games, homebrew, or basically anything from it.

What are some advantages to having HDD support in a console?

Do you realize that your score is now -31 and that the more you post the more it tends to plummet? Have you ever wondered why that is?

I am going to continue to express my opinions and if any of you, and especieally Chozo Ghost, do not like it, that is tough **** because I am going to do it any way. 

I do like it. Your posts add color to the forum, and are often good for a laugh.

But I just wanted to let you know for your sake that much of what you say/ask comes across to others as dumb. I mean, like a whole side of a console being nothing but controller ports for defunct systems. WTF? Most people would feel embarrassed after suggesting something like that. But honestly, I do admire that you don't give a **** what others think.

Afer careful consideration, I have found the idea of an entire side of te console being controller ports is kind of silly rather than dumb. Although I am not giving up on my idea of a USB adapter that connects with every console available on VC.
 

I have something like this in mind, but on one end there would ports for the NES, SNES, N64, Gamecube, SMS, Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast, Neo Geo, TG-16, etc. I have something similar to this, but it only has ports for four of these consoles and I would prefer to have them all.

[Mop it up]

But can you and Chozo both stop double posting.

Yes, please. The spamming has gotten to the point where I don't even want to click a thread that Kytim89 or Chozo Ghost have posted in.

[Kytim89]

But can you and Chozo both stop double posting.

Yes, please. The spamming has gotten to the point where I don't even want to click a thread that Kytim89 or Chozo Ghost have posted in.

I apologize for all the spamming. Perhaps we should create a new topic involving video game ideas regardless of their weirdness.

[Guitar Smasher]

I apologize for all the spamming. Perhaps we should create a new topic involving video game ideas regardless of their weirdness.

That's not a bad idea, why don't you start one in General Gaming?  I'd make one for you, but I think it'd be better if you set the tone of the discussion.

[Stratos]

Afer careful consideration, I have found the idea of an entire side of te console being controller ports is kind of silly rather than dumb. Although I am not giving up on my idea of a USB adapter that connects with every console available on VC.
 

I have something like this in mind, but on one end there would ports for the NES, SNES, N64, Gamecube, SMS, Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast, Neo Geo, TG-16, etc. I have something similar to this, but it only has ports for four of these consoles and I would prefer to have them all.

Look into creating one yourself. There are accessories that allow for certain controllers to be plugged into other consoles via adapter. Your idea just makes in an All-in-one device. I'm sure there would be a market for it. Start by looking up sites and videos of people who mod controllers and such. There is one site I knew of that converted old S/NES controllers into Wii compatible Bluetooth controllers. Then buy a bunch of old controllers and start experimenting until you create a working model. I don't know if you could patent it, but you could certainly sell off hand made versions online to the niche that would like it.

PS- I agree no more double posting because I was lambasted for it some time ago. If I can't do it you can't either

[Spak-Spang]

By the time the Wii 2 comes out I expect Solid State Drives to drop in price.  I think it is much more reasonable to think we can get a 32 Gigs to 64 Gigs. 

Look at the Ipod touches they offer those drives already, and it is a pretty good size drive for being able to stream movies, download VC games that you can re-download again if you need to.  Store save files, and have a designated 1-5Gigs for system use only. 

I love SD cards.  They are smaller.  Hold a lot of memory, and fairly reliable.  I would rather have large SD card support than a HDD. 

[BranDonk Kong]

That would be extremely limiting. The 32GB we can use on the Wii seems awesome because of the limitations (no demos, WiiWare size limitations, no patches, no full Wii or GameCube downloads), and when you compare it to the original onboard 512MB flash (256MB usable), that's 128 times the original storage space...but it's still 1/10th what you can get on the PS3 (stock w/320GB), and 1/23 when you consider that you can fit up to a 750GB HDD inside the PS3 (9.5mm height max). You shouldn't ever have to delete and re-download stuff, or back it up to your PC (when it's even possible). You've got to also take into account that while we may pay $40 for a 250GB HDD at retail, Nintendo could order 10 million of them for a fraction of that price.

[NWR_insanolord]

I'm not saying 32 GB is ideal; I'm saying that it's the likeliest scenario. It's a prediction, not a wish list.

[Spak-Spang]

All I am saying is I am ok with shorter demos, and smaller downloadable stuff.  I don't want patches, and downloadable content I want full games from the beginning and smaller simpler downloadable games.  Some of the demo stuff that bloats downloads are useless CGI videos and such.

If you had 32Gigs or Better 64 Gigs Useable space, then you could easily have a limit size around 100 Megs a game.  And you can allow for smaller patches.  And you could even have games with that size restriction easily playable off of SD cards for additional storage.  I like it better than a noisy hard drive that makes the unit bigger, louder, more expensive and more likely to wear out over time.

[Dasmos]

100MB a game is nowhere near enough if the Wii2 is going to be HD. The XBLA used to have a 50MB file limit on its games very early on, but that soon changed. It bumped upto 150MB, then 250MB, now I think the limit is 2GB? The PSN doesn't have a limit though, I know there's a game available for download (although I foget the name) that's very close to 10GB in size.

[Kytim89]

I really like customizing my consoles and I am a fan of all storage options, so I would not mind being able to use whatever type of memory device that I choose to use. I would most likely go with a little bit of everything.

[Ian Sane]

If Nintendo doesn't want third parties to skip them AGAIN then they should not have easily avoidable limitations.  If you have to say "well that should be good enough" then that means it isn't good enough.  They should be able to match or exceed the competing consoles.  Spak-Spang mentions being cool with shorter demos and smaller downloadable stuff.  No third party is going to make a special Wii 2 exclusive demo.  They'll just not offer the demo period.  That's how it works.  If you have a size restriction for downloadable titles that the other guys don't have then you just don't get those games.  No one shrinks their game down, they just say "**** it" and not bother with your restrictive bullshit.

The Wii 2 needs lots of storage with the ability for the user to increase it.  It's media needs to be big enough and cheap enough that multiplatform ports are easy and cheap to do.  If devs have to jump through any hoops then they'll just not bother.  The Wii is the top selling console and yet every third party treats it like a leper.  No one wants to go through any hassle.  Flexibility is the key.  No hoops, no hassle, no bullshit or it's just going to be the same thing.

[Stogi]

I honestly think that Nintendo doesn't give two shits and a **** about third party studios' needs.

[NWR_insanolord]

I honestly think that Nintendo doesn't give two shits and a **** about third party studios' needs.

I would have agreed with this before I saw what they've done with the 3DS, but they seem to have changed their tune.

[Stogi]

I think third party's are flocking to the 3DS because of the 3DS. It has nothing to do with Nintendo seducing them.

[Ian Sane]

I did see some link where Iwata said that part of the design of the 3DS is that they didn't want third parties not supporting it because the hardware wasn't good enough.  If that's the case then they probably do care.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I posted this in the 3DS thread somewhere, but I didn't feel like looking for it, so I just re-sourced it.
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6266844.html

While Nintendo's focus seemed to be squarely on first-party development, the publisher also stressed that the 3DS would launch with ample third-party support. The company has now reiterated its aim to better embrace external publishers, with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata telling Japanese news service Nikkei that he intends to work more closely with developers in order to "expand into elaborate games targeting serious gamers."

The wave of third-party titles announced so far for the new Nintendo handheld seem to back up Iwata's statements, with titles like Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D - The Naked Sample, Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, Pro Evolution Soccer, Dead or Alive 3D, Resident Evil Revelations, Ninja Gaiden, Pac-Man & Galaga, and Dragon Ball would all be coming to the 3DS, as well as a spate of unnamed titles from developers like Harmonix, Take-Two, Atlus, AQ Interactive, Disney Interactive Studios, Hudson Soft, Majesco, Marvelous Entertainment, and Sega.

In the Nikkei interview, Iwata went on to suggest that the current DS and its software only caters to those who do not play games; something that he hoped to rectify with the 3DS in terms of advances in graphics and gameplay. Recognising this shift in focus from first-party to third-party development, Iwata told Nikkei that Nintendo went to great lengths to incorporate software developers' requests when making the 3DS and called on these developers to make games for the new system.
"These partnerships are good for both Nintendo and the software developers," Iwata said.


Iwata also announced Nintendo's plans to make the successor to the Wii 3D compatible, telling Nikkei that "a full-scale entry into this field will take some time because 3D televisions will not catch on right away."

and another more recent article that supports the first one

http://www.vg247.com/2010/09/29/iwata-nintendo-plans-to-support-third-party-publishers-more-with-3ds/

[Stogi]

Well in this case, it's nice to be wrong. It gives me more confidence for the WiiD.

[Chozo Ghost]

I'm glad to see the 3DS is carrying on the tradition of the original DS, where it is a system designed with developers in mind and incorporating their ideas and suggestions. From what I understand, DS is supposed to stand for "Developer's System" and not "Dual Screen" as is commonly believed. Of course, the DS was very limited by lower graphics and very little RAM when compared to the PSP, and it also sorely lacked the analog stick/nub that is essential to modern 3D gaming. Its good to know that both of those issues will be remedied in the 3DS, which would make the PSP2 even more irrelevant.

But that same design philosophy needs to be adopted for the Wii 2 as well. No one can deny the Wii is a highly successful console, but it got there almost entirely from Nintendo's own support. 3rd parties largely ignored it, mainly for the reasons Ian and others pointed out of the lack of storage and lower specs in comparison to the competition. The Wii 2 would probably be successful with only Nintendo's support backing it, just like the Wii was, but that's not good enough. In order to seize the 3rd party backing more effort needs to be made to create a console that is competitive in terms of storage, graphics, and processing ability.

[Louieturkey]

I love SD cards.  They are smaller.  Hold a lot of memory, and fairly reliable.  I would rather have large SD card support than a HDD. 

Except SD cards are about 1/20th the speed of an HDD and extremely slower than an SSD. The average SD card transfers data at about 10-15MB/s.  The average HDD at even 5400RPM transfers data closer to 60-80MB/s.  HDDs win every time.

[Mop it up]

The best solution is to have support for all devices. Coming with 32GB internal is fine with me if it can also support SD, hard disk, and USB flash drives. I'd personally want a hard drive for its superior durability, but SD cards are much smaller in physical size so I know they are popular too. USB flash drive support isn't so important, as it seems to be getting replaced by SD, but it couldn't hurt.

I don't see this happening, though, for various reasons.

[NWR_insanolord]

Hard drives are in no way more durable than solid state storage. They're much cheaper per GB, and as mentioned are faster than SD, but their moving parts make them much less durable than any kind of solid state media.

[Mop it up]

I've never had a hard drive fail on me, and I have a couple that are 13 years old. Meanwhile, I know several people who have had flash memory devices get corrupted, such as USB flash drives, cameras, and even the Wii. That shows me that hard drives are more durable. Sure, they might not hold up to physical abuse as well, but no one should be handling them anyway.

[TheBlackCat]

I have had a couple hard drives fail, as has my father and some of my friends, but I have only had 1 flash memory card fail on me.

[Mop it up]

They should take better care of their stuff then.

Regardless, I'd rather have a hard drive since I trust them more.