Topic: E3 MMX

[MaryJane]

I'm not worried about Zelda, I wonder if the "simplified" comment may be being misconstrued. Swinging the Wii Remote to control the sword is already a more simplified method of control than pressing a button. The reason is because the motion of swinging a sword is familiar to most people, so it is an easier concept to grasp. "I move the controller here and the sword goes there, hey that was easy!" That's much easier to understand than "If I'm standing still and press "B" I do a horizontal slice, if I'm moving forward I do a vertical slice, if I'm Z-targeting I do... wait, run that by me again?"

Agreed, but large portions of their blue ocean strategy have been accomplished: tons of new gamers, and the return of old gamers who gave up but now like playing NSMB holding the remote like the classic NES controller. The last thing--that I remember--is to have casual gamers buying games they would not have normally, Zelda is for many Nintendo's best game, what better way to bring over casuals than with your best software? I'm worried they'll take away the nunchuck control option and have you switching back and forth on how your holding the Wiimote, and have link either auto-dodge in the direction of your sword swings, or pressing b while swinging makes him dodge. If they do something like that, I'm just hoping they'll let you choose how you want to play
Stevey: lol that was great. The girl is a sword! Classic

[Adrock]

1. What are you expecting?
- A short pre-recorded clip of Barack Obama introducing a new trailer of NBA Jam... since clearly he's a hidden player
- New Super Mario Bros. 3D launching with 3DS
- God of War: Ghost of Sparta, playable and awesome, launching this year
- Gears of War 3, playable and awesome
- Final Fantasy Versus XIII, showing progress
- Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, playable and awesome
- Natal will be lame
- Every Move game getting slaughtered by Zelda
- The Last Story coming to US this year, before Zelda
- Epic Mickey will be so awesome, I'll be forced to add that to my already extensive list of videogame purchases this year
- Metal Gear Solid Rising, officially unveiled

2. What are you hoping?
- PSP2 doesn't ditch physical media
- New Super Mario Bros. 3D, based on Super Mario Bros. 3, launching with 3DS... I would jizz
- Nintendo apologizes for Friend Codes, releases info on revamped online system for 3DS and, by extension, the successor of the Wii
- Final Fantasy VI remake on 3DS
- Metal Gear 3DS

3. What will surprise you?
- Steampunk Zelda
- Nintendo unveiling their next generation console, no concrete details except it's HD, backwards compatible, and has a secret innovative function
- Nintendo partnering with Google to bring the Android Market to 3DS
- Kid Icarus... it's not happening
- Starcraft: Ghost
- Kingdom Hearts 3... for a Nintendo home console

I'm pretty sure Sony already patented that feature.

Since when did that ever stop anyone from flat-out copying an idea or engineering a workaround that basically does the same thing? Isn't that why Playstation Move even exists?

[Mop it up]

Zelda is for many Nintendo's best game, what better way to bring over casuals than with your best software?

Nintendo's best software is highly subjective; I'd guess a majority of Wii owners find the best Wii games to be Wii Sports, Wii Fit, Mario Kart Wii, etc. Zelda is an entirely different game than those, and I don't see it appealing to such people no matter how much they changed it. I'd think Nintendo knows that, and although they might implement some new user-friendly features like the Super Guide or hint videos, the core game will be the same (just like it is in NSMBWii, SMG2).

If there is a Wiimote-only control style, there will likely be an option to use the Nunchuk, like in New Super Mario Brothers Wii, Mario Kart Wii, and a host of other games.

[Caterkiller]

I have no worries for the new Zelda. After NSMBW and Galaxy 2 I figure they know how to make the games for everyone. The last thing I want is more icons on screen with every button doing everything known to man. I like where control has been headed these days. Except for fighting games.

[Peachylala]

While I would love to see friend codes gotten rid of, don't forget that it's thanks to FCs that we don't have an X-Box Live.

...Though getting rid of FCs could result in paying for online.

[NWR_insanolord]

While I would love to see friend codes gotten rid of, don't forget that it's thanks to FCs that we don't have an X-Box Live.

...Though getting rid of FCs could result in paying for online.

I'm going to be blunt here: if you don't want Nintendo's online to be like Xbox Live, you're a fanboy. Xbox Live completely nails the online experience. We'd be lucky to get something close to that good.

[GoldenPhoenix]

While I would love to see friend codes gotten rid of, don't forget that it's thanks to FCs that we don't have an X-Box Live.

...Though getting rid of FCs could result in paying for online.

I'm going to be blunt here: if you don't want Nintendo's online to be like Xbox Live, you're a fanboy. Xbox Live completely nails the online experience. We'd be lucky to get something close to that good.

I think Peach meant without Friend Codes we'd have to pay for online like Xbox Live.

[Adrock]

I think insanolord meant that $50 is worth the price of admission for an online experience like Xbox Live.

[Spak-Spang]

The Xbox Live experience is the best online experience.  And I am willing to pay $50.00 a year for a service such as Xbox Live on Nintendo.

Realistically, friend codes aren't bad though.  I believe it is important to a system set up to safeguard the online experience.  However, I believe it should be done by the console within the OS instead of by game.  If the options are powerful enough you can even grant some friends voice chat privileges while others don't.  And parents can put parental guards up that would lock all voice chat out until they approved the friend.  If it was done this way friend codes would not have been a problem.

As for Nintendo needing to create a better online experience that is a given, and Xbox Live literally defined the Xbox as the definitive online console this year and everyone else isn't even playing catch up...they are miles behind it.

[Peachylala]

While I would love to see friend codes gotten rid of, don't forget that it's thanks to FCs that we don't have an X-Box Live.

...Though getting rid of FCs could result in paying for online.

I'm going to be blunt here: if you don't want Nintendo's online to be like Xbox Live, you're a fanboy. Xbox Live completely nails the online experience. We'd be lucky to get something close to that good.

I think Peach meant without Friend Codes we'd have to pay for online like Xbox Live.

GP nailed what I said. I would love Nintendo to do something like that, but I will not shell out $50+ dollars for the service.
 
$15 is a reasonable range for me.

[Adrock]

I don't think Xbox Live is miles ahead of Playstation Network. The experiences are comparable and PSN is free. $50 is more than reasonable though. If I played online games with any kind of regularity, I wouldn't mind paying $50.

The Wii System Code should have sufficed, but Nintendo insisted on per game Friend Codes which was super lame.

[MaryJane]

I don't think Xbox Live is miles ahead of Playstation Network. The experiences are comparable and PSN is free. $50 is more than reasonable though. If I played online games with any kind of regularity, I wouldn't mind paying $50.

The Wii System Code should have sufficed, but Nintendo insisted on per game Friend Codes which was super lame.

I agree, and in this instance I actually hope Nintendo follows Sony's lead: continue to offer free service--though in Nintendo's case that still needs an upgrade--and offer a premium package for those who want all the bells and whistles. Whatever they do though friend codes have to go, [insert what everyone else said about them].

PSN is pretty good a few games have some issues like Uncharted but for the most part its a smooth and consistent experience, you can't really ask for more than that free.

[NWR_insanolord]

I want a system-wide friends list, and party based voice chat independent of any game like Xbox Live. Any other features they'd like to include would be great, but that's all I really care about.

[Stratos]

If they won't give us independent voice chat then at least a status feature where you can see which friends are online, invite them to games and see what they are playing would be nice.

[Dirk Temporo]

$15 is a reasonable range for me.

You realize that they would never be able to run anything even slightly close to Xbox Live in terms of features and accessability if people were only paying $15/year?

[BlackNMild2k1]

$15 a year x 70 million users / 50% = $52.5 Million a year in revenue.

How much does Xbox Live cost to run again?

[Ymeegod]

Still waiting to hear about Tales of Graces, so far a port hasn't been announced. 

Also excited about Epic Mickey and would love to see more gameplay.

[TJ Spyke]

I think you mean localization, not port (port means being released on another system).

I have high hopes for Epic Mickey based on what we know about it, so I hope Disney gives Spector plenty of freedom in his design decisions.

[ThePerm]

for months ive been thinking about how i would like to see a futuristic Zelda and a medieval Metroid

[Spak-Spang]

Ok, so $15 a year is not good (supposedly) 

Well undercut Microsoft by have $25.00 a year would be plenty and probably add a profit margin.

Now, take that money and build a system that allows virtual console games to be played on the Wii and 3DS as a premium bonus, and you have a winning formula. 

[Dirk Temporo]

70 million users / 50%

Well that sure is a big number. I wonder if it might have any kind of basis in fact at all.

Oh right, it doesn't. Silly me.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I just took $15 and multiplied it by all the Wii's sold to date and then divided that by half to be generous about online adoption to give a general figure to work with.

But you never answered the question; how much does Xbox Live cost to run per year?

[Dirk Temporo]

to be generous about online adoption

That's what I'm getting at.

But you never answered the question; how much does Xbox Live cost to run per year?

I couldn't tell you any specific numbers, but I know that $15/year would not run matchmaking and dedicated servers across all games for everybody who wants them.

[ThePerm]

what if you had the choice of buying games, or buying 100 play hours for 9.99 a month?

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Last year was the Best E3 Ever.  Expectations are running high.