Post by: Rhoq on September 10, 2003, 09:19:04 AM
Apparently Nintendo entered into a deal with AOL to become GameCube on-line's preferred ISP. AOL/Time Warner will advertise Nintendo products and send software kits to developers that want to make on-line games for the cube. Nintendo said that even with the announcement of this deal, it does not mean that they have changed their position on on-line gaming.
My question is: What the hell happened with GameSpy? I thought they were working with Nintendo to bring the 'Cube on-line?
Post by: Ian Sane on September 10, 2003, 09:39:18 AM
Post by: TOY on September 10, 2003, 09:54:02 AM
TOY
Post by: Bill Aurion on September 10, 2003, 10:07:37 AM
"Furthermore, Nintendo said that its products will be advertised on AOL websites and AOL Time Warner websites. Nintendo said it is also working on making a deal to promote AOL Broadband – by possibly bundling AOL Broadband demos with the GameCube." -Nintendo Insider
Post by: Plugabugz on September 10, 2003, 11:24:18 AM
They told me Nintendo have discontinued it because the service didn't take off.
WHAT?! Where do people get this information from??
Post by: BigJim on September 10, 2003, 11:37:34 AM
It's not likely to be the only option either. It's an ISP giving them the code to connect to their proprietary service. Sony signed up with AOL too, but you can use any ISP you want.
Post by: mouse_clicker on September 10, 2003, 11:51:29 AM
Quote
From the article:Quote
...the two companies are discussing means of promoting AOL's new broadband service, including the possibility of bundling AOL demo discs with the GameCube.
Yay, more AOL discs to burn. I can see how Nintendo would like to have it's products advertised through AOL, but I don't see how anyone could ever think that AOL comes anywhere near Nintendo's stringent quality expectations. It just doesn't make any sense.
Post by: ThePerm on September 10, 2003, 01:19:04 PM
Post by: Berto2K on September 10, 2003, 02:15:12 PM
Post by: Perfect Cell on September 10, 2003, 03:19:35 PM
Post by: Tael on September 10, 2003, 03:59:32 PM
Post by: mouse_clicker on September 10, 2003, 05:18:06 PM
Post by: mouse_clicker on September 10, 2003, 05:19:43 PM
Post by: ThePerm on September 10, 2003, 05:47:03 PM
Post by: mouse_clicker on September 10, 2003, 06:04:37 PM
If my 60 other buddies on my list used MSN, so would I.
Post by: The Omen on September 10, 2003, 07:54:11 PM
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I use aim because all my friends do.
Isnt that the freaking point? Everyone does use it.
And like numerous people here have already said, you don't have to use AOL. And let me tell you, MSN leaves a lot to be desired as well.
Post by: Matrix on September 10, 2003, 08:37:41 PM
Quote
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
And I'm not talking about Nintendo. I'm talking about you guys.
Sony did the exact same thing with AOL for their online plan, and got none of this name calling and accusations. Nintendo can't even wipe it's own a$$ without people looking at them crosseyed.
You don't need an AOL connection. AOL is just providing the servers. The only way this could possibly be a bad thing is if Nintendo is stuck on AOL's congested main servers, which is pretty unlikely.
You're all jumping to conclusions. All because its AOL doesn't mean we have to sign up an account name, it doesn't mean we need to have 'net connection from AOL. It doesn't mean there are going to be weirdly shaped AOL logos spinning around online games. It just means Nintendo picked a company capable in a realm of servers and electronics to make its own custom network, and perhaps manage it to a certain extent.
Honestly...
Post by: PIAC on September 10, 2003, 08:56:02 PM
it would be like advertising on the side of coke cans, you dont need to drink coke to play nintendo, but every time you get a coke you see whoa nintendo! nice graphics! nintense! and so forth
im thirsty
Post by: joeamis on September 10, 2003, 09:13:43 PM
By Nintendo using aol, they are getting advertisement on the most widespread and used internet service provider. They are also getting the aol network to assist them in creating their online framework. This is one of Nintendo's smartest moves in a long time. Add in this new Zelda disc deal, which is excellent if it's not the move to boost sales instead of a price drop, and the new president is really thinking in new ways for his and "our" company.
Post by: mouse_clicker on September 11, 2003, 03:33:11 AM
We may not be using AOL itself, no, but we'd be using their internet connection, which I'm fairly certain is nonexistant. I don't want AOL being repsonsible for my connection to internet based games- they can hardly handle being an ISP, much less this.
Post by: The Omen on September 11, 2003, 04:50:33 AM
Quote
Quote
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Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
And I'm not talking about Nintendo. I'm talking about you guys.
Sony did the exact same thing with AOL for their online plan, and got none of this name calling and accusations. Nintendo can't even wipe it's own a$$ without people looking at them crosseyed.
You don't need an AOL connection. AOL is just providing the servers. The only way this could possibly be a bad thing is if Nintendo is stuck on AOL's congested main servers, which is pretty unlikely.
You're all jumping to conclusions. All because its AOL doesn't mean we have to sign up an account name, it doesn't mean we need to have 'net connection from AOL. It doesn't mean there are going to be weirdly shaped AOL logos spinning around online games. It just means Nintendo picked a company capable in a realm of servers and electronics to make its own custom network, and perhaps manage it to a certain extent.
Honestly...
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I think Matrix explained it well.
Post by: Bill Aurion on September 11, 2003, 04:58:15 AM
Post by: BigJim on September 11, 2003, 05:12:53 AM
The partnership means that the over 30 million AOL users don't get the shaft if/when Nintendo goes online. If this wasn't done, those users with GameCubes would have to get another ISP to connect. Being the largest ISP by far, this is clearly the right thing to do, regardless of personal opinion about the service.
AFAIC, companies like WorldCom that own the connection lines are more to blame for disconnect problems than the ISPs. AOL's the biggest target so it's obvious we'll hear more horror stories about them.
But I'll still be sticking with my reliable broadband connection.
Post by: Ian Sane on September 11, 2003, 07:26:26 AM
However I'm wondering if all Nintendo is really using this deal for is advertising. They still haven't announced any of their own online games and have stated that they have not changed their stance on online gaming so it's like they will realistically ever use this setup. The design is more for third parties but I think it's WAY too late to get third parties interested in making online Gamecube games. Why take the risk in making an online Gamecube title when Nintendo themselves is always telling you how unprofitable it is? Therefore I don't think this AOL stuff will ever actually be used but it at least gives Nintendo a big advertising boost. As a realistic online solution it seems to be little more then throwing gamers and third parties a bone so that technically no one can say Nintendo has no online plans.
Post by: BigJim on September 11, 2003, 09:23:05 AM
Another useless tidbit... After asking someone at AOL, he said that this is an agreement "in principal" that was made sometime around E3, and the details were ironed out since then. Doesn't sound very serious.
Post by: iTZKooPA on September 11, 2003, 10:46:52 AM
from what I was told by a Ninty rep the launch of them was to see how things would sell (although maybe they should have put more games out at that time?) anyways after they stopped shipping them he told me that they would "be re-released at a later date" so maybe the time has come where i dont just play PSO I&II online and get some other stuff also
Post by: mouse_clicker on September 11, 2003, 12:05:41 PM
Post by: Ian Sane on September 11, 2003, 12:20:20 PM
Post by: Don'tHate742 on September 11, 2003, 07:37:07 PM
*clenches fist and shakes it in disgust*
Post by: Tael on September 12, 2003, 02:10:26 AM
QuoteNintendo isn't using AOL for a network! Nintendo is licensing the proprietary software AOL use. Without that software in GameCube games, AOL users won't be able to connect their GameCubes to AOL's service as an ISP (because that software is used to connect to AOL), and therefore won't be able to play GameCube games online. As it is, AOL users can't play PSO in online mode, because PSO doesn't have this software on the disc.
Originally posted by: mouse_clicker
BigJim: Exactly how would AOL users get screwed if Nintendo didn't use AOL. Obviously, since you're sayin we don't have to use AOL, wouldn't the same apply for people who already do se AOL (rest their souls)?
Edit: fixed the grammatical error.
Post by: mouse_clicker on September 12, 2003, 03:27:46 AM
Post by: Berny on September 12, 2003, 04:08:42 AM
Post by: KDR_11k on September 12, 2003, 06:09:47 AM
Post by: mouse_clicker on September 12, 2003, 01:21:39 PM
Post by: BigJim on September 12, 2003, 03:33:13 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: mouse_clicker
BigJim: Exactly how would AOL users get screwed if Nintendo didn't use AOL. Obviously, since you're sayin we don't have to use AOL, wouldn't the same apply for people who already do se AOL (rest their souls)?
If Nintendo didn't get the license to connect to AOL servers, AOL users would have to sign up for another ISP.
Post by: Internet Nomad on September 12, 2003, 03:50:17 PM
Assuming this was in fact drawn up at E3, as BigJim said, wasn't that the same time that Gamespy agreed (or at least had a press release) to make the tunnelling software. What the hell is Nintendo going to do with real online (AOL) and fake online (Gamespy)? Are they going to give developers the option to avoid online server costs (I'm assuming they'd have to pay some sort of fee for Nintendo/AOL to host the games) with the tunnelling or what?
I'm scratching my head about all of this. Maybe one online strategy could be seen as a "building block for the future," but two? Something's in the works.
Post by: Bill Aurion on September 12, 2003, 03:55:21 PM
Post by: mouse_clicker on September 12, 2003, 05:02:03 PM
But if we're under the impression that one must sign up for an ISP to go online with the Gamecube, then people who don't have AOL would have to sign up for it. If you do indeed need a specific ISP to play the Cube online (which I think we've established you don't), then it would screw a lot of people no matter what Nintendo did.
Post by: Tael on September 12, 2003, 05:05:31 PM
If AOL is your ISP:
You use the AOL software in the GameCube games (which Nintendo has licensed) to connect to AOL. Once connected to the internet via AOL, you'll connect to the Gamespy servers and can join or start internet games.
If AOL is not your ISP:
There will be an internet setup menu in the GameCube game (similar to the one found in PSO), which you will use to configure your internet connection on your GameCube. After configuring your interent connection on your GameCube, you will be able to connect to the internet via your regular ISP (not AOL!). Once connected to the internet via your ISP, you'll connect to the Gamespy servers and can join or start internet games.
If Nintendo had not licensed this software from AOL, and AOL is your ISP:
You would not be able to play any GameCube games online, as you wouldn't be able to connect to the internet through your ISP(AOL). This is because AOL uses proprietary software to connect users to the internet.
Post by: mouse_clicker on September 12, 2003, 05:13:13 PM
Post by: Tael on September 12, 2003, 05:20:33 PM
Post by: mouse_clicker on September 12, 2003, 10:37:35 PM
Post by: BigJim on September 13, 2003, 06:52:13 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: mouse_clicker
We get that, Tael- what BigJim and I are discussing is (supposedly) hypothetical and not the way it will actually work. I have even said so several times. We're talking about what the situation would be like if you did need a specific ISP to play your Cube online and if that ISP was AOL and AOL alone.
Actually, I WAS trying to discuss how it would actually work too.
If you needed to use a specific ISP, then sure, anyone that isn't already a customer of that ISP would be screwed since they would have to get the required one. But that's not what's happening, as mentioned.
Post by: iTZKooPA on September 13, 2003, 12:58:15 PM
Post by: ThePerm on September 13, 2003, 08:26:52 PM
Post by: KDR_11k on September 13, 2003, 09:25:34 PM
