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

[UltimatePartyBear]

No disrespect, but that looks more like fake tan orange than Zelda gold to me.

It does look like a little bit of bronzer was used, but what exactly is the Zelda gold? Because even Nintendo has been quite inconsistent with it.

As long as it looks more like a trophy wife's jewelry and less like her arms, I don't think it matters too much.

[mac<censored>]

Original Zelda.  All others are imitators, that are just play'n.

Now that you mention it, all the pics I've seen of the original Zelda cartridge do look more real-metallic-gold than the other gold-zelda-branded items.

Hmm, that was released in the mid-'80s ... smack-dab in the middle of The Bubble ... Japan was absolutely rolling in money ... maybe they just said "f*ck it, we're gonna use real gold for this!"

[ThePerm]

gold paint takes differently to different surfaces, iv got the gold cartridge zelda OOT but unfortunately its been defeated by hand oils. However, Majora's mask did not have this problem.

The Ocarina if Time case was a metallic gold though, not the same color gold, but more in line with the NES Zelda Cartridge.

[Chozo Ghost]

Maybe the 80s Zelda paint looks better because it used chemicals in the paint that would be banned today for health reasons? I don't know if that's true or not but I'm just speculating as to why it looks so much better than every gold zelda thing since then. Maybe 80s plastics were just superior to what is used today. Maybe stuff is just made more shoddily today in general.

[Chiller]

My copy of TLOZ looks vacuum-metalized (as do my copy of TLOZ: TAOL, and Game Genie).  This is the process they use on plastics to make them look like they are plated, such as the name placard on an automobile.  Most of her other gold-colored games look as though the pigment is in the plastic or is a non-metalized coating.  I assume this would be a cost and/or time-saving measure.  This removes the ability to get a highly-polished look, which is what the original has.

[NWR_insanolord]

Somebody rig up the silver one with the red light. I want my Wii U to look like a Cylon.

[broodwars]

Somebody rig up the silver one with the red light. I want my Wii U to look like a Cylon.

Well, if you're going to do that properly, you'll need that red light to swivel a bit.   

[Ceric]

My copy of TLOZ looks vacuum-metalized (as do my copy of TLOZ: TAOL, and Game Genie).  This is the process they use on plastics to make them look like they are plated, such as the name placard on an automobile.  Most of her other gold-colored games look as though the pigment is in the plastic or is a non-metalized coating.  I assume this would be a cost and/or time-saving measure.  This removes the ability to get a highly-polished look, which is what the original has.

I would agree with this.  Mine is still in its lovely shiny gold but, if you go to a use store and find a really used copy you will see where the gold has beeen rubbed through and the traditional grey starts to show.  I don't recall seeing any of the N64 Gold Carts like that, supporting the pigment idea.  Hopefully the new WiiMote Plus with be coated like the original Cart.

[BlackNMild2k1]

WiiU to reach Zen-like Balance of Power & Performance.
Won't commit to "dramatically outperform"-ing current gen consoles.
http://e3.gamespot.com/story/6320234/e3-2011-miyamoto-speaks-his-mind

"When you look at what we're trying to do this time, which is I think maybe to a certain degree somewhat reckless, because we're trying to include this somewhat kind of tablet-like device - this controller with the screen," said the producer.

"We're trying to do that by finding the right balance between the CPU and the GPU, the graphics processor, and bringing all of that together with the ability to take advantage of the HD capabilities of the system, and wanting to do the most that we can on that front as well.

"We're very sensitive, of course, to trying to do all of this at an appropriate price. So I don't know that we would be able to sit here and say that it's going to necessarily dramatically outperform the systems that are out now. It's part of the balance that we strike in terms of trying to find entertainment that is new and unique."

Miyamoto also insisted that the iPad was not a direct influence on the Wii U controller, describing its similarity to tablets in general as a "coincidence".

"Even at this point last year at E3, we had done a lot of work on this, and it was pretty far along, and we had been working on the concept for several years," he said. "And so we felt it was kind of a funny coincidence that, while we had been working on this, all of a sudden right as we're getting ready to bring it to the public, there's this tablet boom."

"From a kind of a visual point and an initial kind of conceptual starting point, the two seem similar, [but] because of the unique structure of the console and the new controller and the TV, that when people start playing with it and interacting with it, especially in the living room, they're going to find that it opens up a great deal more possibilities," he added.

This interview is 4 days old, but we were busy debating other stuff in this thread at the time. NWR actually reported on this story yesterday too, but no one really commented on it, so I though that maybe I would just drop it in here and see what happens.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Ubi: WiiU is incomplete and we don't even know all the specs....
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2011-06-21-ubisofts-yves-guillemot (via NeoGAF)

Q: Nintendo has been kind of vague on the specs of the machine at this stage, but how would you say that Ubisoft games are going to compare to games that are already out there? Is it going to be on a similar level in terms of visual quality and other aspects, as your Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 titles?

Yves Guillemot: Yes, I think at least. It should be even superior for some of the games. We don't know everything, so we have a few things Nintendo is telling us that will have such and such powers.

So Nintendo obviously doesn't have a complete chipset and lots of chabges are still possible, but we already knew that.

Q: So you're happy to be getting in there quickly and first with Nintendo on this, and be there day one when the console comes out with some Ubisoft games?

Yves Guillemot: Yes, and certainly we will announce one game that we want to launch day one that is a new type of game, which should be interesting. It's a first-person shooter game.

Q: I think it's interesting that you still see that first mover advantage as important in the console space.

Yves Guillemot: It is still very important, just because you can test a market and also see through the eyes of the first consumers. They are the people that actually have the word of mouth factor. The trendsetters.

That means Killer Freaks is a WiiU launch title... but we already knew that too right?

Q: Ubisoft recently announced plans to move into movie and TV production. What was the thinking behind that decision? Why move into that different entertainment space?

Yves Guillemot: It's just because we think that our consumers are very interested by that, so we try to bring them what they expect. And what's really happening is the machines will be so powerful, are already so powerful, and will continue to evolve, so that we will be able to do linear content for a cost that is very low. So why not take that opportunity?

Q: You guys have 25 years of history in creating games, but not in creating movies and TV, is that a big risk?

Yves Guillemot: You know the TV business is an interesting business because everything is pre-sold before you start creating the project, so it's not that risky. And then you can, because its an industry where you can recruit people for a short time to come to you to help, you can quickly get the talent, the financing, it's a way to expand your brand without taking too much risk. It gives you the possibility to reuse the content for your games, so its really complementary to the games. And if you can have 20 per cent or 30 per cent of your content that is created for the TV series that you can reuse in your game it's a way to reduce the cost of the game or to do a better game.

Q: That's interesting because obviously we know AAA costs are incredibly high, what other kind of methods can you use to keep a handle on those development costs?

Yves Guillemot: The most important thing is to sell more, to have the chance to reach a larger audience. That's what we think is the best way to sell more. And to reach a larger audience if you have a TV series, and you have lots of other projects, or even if you go on a tablet or an iPhone they try your property there and they want to see more and get more into those universes. So you can take them to buy high end games.

Q: So do you think development costs will continue to rise?

Yves Guillemot: Yes. I think so, on the high definition formats, yes. So we just have to make sure we get more revenue and diversify.

Q: Going into movie and TV production, is that an admission that the AAA market isn't as profitable as it used to be?

Yves Guillemot: It has nothing to do with it. It's just we think that it's so easy to do, that it would be a shame not to try. The other thing which is important also is that when we do those movies or TV series, we take talent from that industry who are helping us to do a better job for the games. Really at the end of the day our goal is to make sure that we have better games with bigger worlds and universes and so on, and that we use all the many people around to achieve that goal.

And Ubisoft is moving into Movies and Television.
Imagine: The TV Show coming to a Funimation Production partner near you.

[ThePerm]

more like a Prince of Persia or Assassin's Creed Tv shows

[BlackNMild2k1]

Imagine: Far Cryz - The Movie

[bustin98]

Netflix keeps telling me I should watch the Far Cry movie, but I keep ignoring it.

Watched the trailer for it.

'Is that your gun?'
*Giggles*

I don't know if I should waste my time watching this movie.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I was gonna suggest an MFT revival... but it's an Uwe Boll movie. so nevermind.
don't watch.

[Adrock]

I saw House of the Dead and Bloodrayne on my own volition. Both terrible choices. I watched In the Name of the King because the trailer was absolutely hilarious so I figured it would be so bad, it's good. To quote my favorite movie, "This is so bad it went past good and back to bad again."

That said, I heard Postal is actually not terrible since it's absurd on purpose, not simply because Boll is a hack. I haven't seen it though.

[Chozo Ghost]

Anything made by Uwe Boll is a terrible choice.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Postal was entertaining though. probably his best work if you ask me, and the only movie he has ever made that wasn't a complete waste of time.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Now to get this thread back on topic.

Iwata talks about WiiU
How it came to be, 3rd Party Devs, Late/Early Adopters & Game Pricing
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/35336/Iwata_Wii_U_Planning_Started_Immediately_After_Wii_Release.php

it was as early as 2007 that the company knew it wanted to add a second screen to its next system, says global president and CEO Satoru Iwata. The biggest debate, actually, was where that screen should go.

Initially, the Wii U's second screen was a separate device that was to be placed on a table, not attached to the controller. Also, the screen was much smaller, due to the higher costs of LCDs at the time.

"Considering how expensive screens were then, it did not make sense to have this big-sized LCD," he says. "We would not have been able to come up with a reasonable price point. … We had not decided when we were going to launch the new console [at that point], but we knew we needed to be flexible."
[...]
"During the roundtable discussions there were such arguments about should we make it capable of being a standalone system or should we make it work only with the [base console] system," says Iwata. "We came to the conclusion that this controller is only going to show the images generated and processed by this hardware unit – and sent from the hardware unit wirelessly. That means sharper graphics. A battery couldn't do that."

WiiU is not influenced by the iPad regardless of what comparisons are made closer to and after release. It's actually a graphically supercharged Gameboy evolved into a home console version of the DS.
Now please exploit the full potential of such a setup.

"In the U.S., people are very attracted by the sports and the shooter games - and the quality of those graphics are very important," says Iwata. "As a result, it was not necessarily the case to have the software [for the Wii] developed by the top developers of the software companies. And, as a result of that, Wii software was not able to succeed to the extent that third parties wanted [it] to. For this time around, we are able to expect the top [developers] for the top third parties to make games for the Wii U."

WiiU will be for everyone. Developers and consumers. It was designed to please everyone.
Devs will get the power they need to make the games they want to make at the graphical level they want to make them.
Gamers will get the games that they want with all the play options they are used to.

edit:

"When we consider the people who are first to purchase Wii U and the people who are going to purchase the Wii, I don't think there will be a great overlap between the two," he says. "I believe that those who are waiting to purchase the Wii now are the so-called 'late adopters' and the people waiting to purchase the Wii U are early adopters. So for the time after the Wii U [arrives in stores], I believe both systems will be on the market for some time."

With news that DQX could be forwards compatible, Nintendo actually has a chance at making late adopting DQX hold-outs for Wii into 1st gen early adopters for WiiU instead. And they could do that by selling a Wii game... I can't think of any other time in gaming history that someone has taken advantage of that opportunity. Nintendo could've and should've done it with Pokemon B&W, but it looks like Square might instead bat them to it with DQX
/edit:

"I think there is already some indication that the [current pricing] trend is going to stay here," he says. "When you consider some of the most popular franchise – such as Call of Duty or Madden - the publishers can afford to affix a rather expensive price tag on that because the franchise has a premium value. On the other hand, … without an established franchise, they cannot afford to keep that expensive price tag. I believe there will be a wider price range."

Some games may cost $60 and other may not.
As I "predicted" in the other thread,
"Core franchises might cost HD premium while Casual/Youth/Family games may range from standard to budget pricing"

[BlackNMild2k1]

WiiU to have a Charging Dock/Cradle/Stand?
Miyamoto envisions it, but won't go into details.
http://kotaku.com/5814227/how-the-wii-u-one-ups-television

Miyamoto envisions a device that you leave resting in a cradle by your couch, picking it up whenever you want to surf the Internet or check the weather. That cradle will presumably charge the controller as well, though Miyamoto declined to go into specifics about the battery or the life a single charge will net you.

"You should be able to play with it for the period of time you would need for something like an action game," he said by way of answering my question.

This is a device that Miyamoto seemed more interested in discussing in terms of how it will be used outside of gaming.

You could, he told me, use the controller to browse the web in your living room. You could use it, he suggested, to find something of interest on the Internet and "set it up" so that when the television was turned on to the console people could enjoy your discovery without needing to wait for any loading screens or on television web surfing.

That is 1 of the 2 things I want from this controller. The other being an app to use it as a Universal Remote Control. A dock just makes so much sense that to not have it would seriously just baffle me.
I'm glad that Miyamoto also envisions it... I just hope he also envisions the benefit of custom appz such as a universal remote too.

[Adrock]

Miyamoto needs to envision the need for unique content streamed to multiple tablet controllers and then make it a reality.

Anyway, if Miyamoto is talking about browsing the interwebz on the controller, hopefully that means Netflix is possible as well which would be badass.

[Ceric]

Just being able to do the Netflix Menu on the uMote while streaming a video on the screen be cool.  Especially if it would allow you to queue up your next show and make a playlist for that session.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Miyamoto: WiiU Online is Important
http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2011/06/22/nintendos-miyamoto-not-our-goal-to-become-the-number-one-online-gaming-company/

"We're not going to sit here and say that our goal is to become the number one online gaming company, because that's not our goal," he said when discussing the online functionality plans for the Wii U. "But, understanding that the types of experiences our consumers like to play do often contain elements to them that can be improved or may even require an online connection and also knowing that the system is going to have a browser I think suggests that obviously internet and internet connectivity is going to be very important for the system."

"We're not going to sit here and say that our goal is to become the number one online gaming company, because that's not our goal,"

"But, understanding that the types of experiences our consumers like to play do often contain elements to them that can be improved or may even require an online connection and also knowing that the system is going to have a browser I think suggests that obviously internet and internet connectivity is going to be very important for the system."

Let's hope they not only create a competent and competitive online system, but actually use it and integrate it into their own games.

With regards to user-specific accounts, though, Miyamoto did have some thoughts about how they might be implemented.
"We have introduced Miis to the world and everyone will hopefully have their own Mii, so obviously I think there's possibilities along those lines there. And I will say that this is a system that will have a great deal of appeal for its online connectivity."

Nintendo's focus on providing a safe-for-the-whole family console isn't going anywhere, though. Said Miyamoto:
"A key word for Nintendo in the online sphere has been creating an experience that's comfortable for all players, so we'll still look at that and stick to our idea of trying to create an online experience that's welcoming to everyone."

User accounts represented by Miis is something we have been asking for since Miis were introduced. It's good to see Nintendo has finally thought of it too. Now let's hope it happens.

[Adrock]

Um, shouldn't their goal be to be number one at everything? That certainly seems most likely to increase revenue. Who aspires to be second or third place at anything? That"s LOSER talk!

[Ceric]

Your 3DS is represented by your Mii.. Which you can't seem to change when you make a better one.  So if you get a 3DS first thing make a Mii you really like and THEN setup your friend stuff.

[BlackNMild2k1]

3DS is designed to be used by a single person so that kinda makes sense... sorta.

But WiiU is designed to be used by the whole family and their friends, so each individual Mii having it's own account attached to it would make more sense. Hopefully it makes sense in the same way to Nintendo too.